In Chongqing, residents enjoy the sunny day at a public park overlooking the city skyline. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chongqing - On February 24, the first working day after the Spring Festival holiday, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Chongqing Municipal Committee convened a conference to advance the development of a modernized new Chongqing and mobilize efforts for a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan.

Addressing the meeting, Yuan Jiajun, Secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, called for fully implementing the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and accelerating progress under the “Six Zones and One Highland” development framework, positioning Chongqing as a western leader with stronger national influence and clearer city identity.

The "Six Zones" include the leading zone for high-quality development in western China, the inland opening-up international cooperation zone, the leading zone for comprehensive deepening of reform, the demonstration zone for modern megacity governance, the demonstration zone for urban-rural integration and rural revitalization, and the leading zone for building a Beautiful China. The "One Highland" focuses on strengthening Party building across the city.

Yuan noted that this year marks the opening of the 15th Five-Year Plan period and represents a critical stage for Chongqing to enhance the quality and efficiency of its modernization drive. Since the 20th CPC National Congress, the municipality has strengthened its role as an inland opening-up hub, achieved steady improvements in high-quality development, and advanced reform, megacity governance, rural revitalization, and ecological protection, laying a solid foundation for the next stage of growth.

Looking ahead, Chongqing will continue to expand its “33618” modern manufacturing cluster system and deepen the integration of technological and industrial innovation. The city will consolidate its advantages in intelligent connected new energy vehicles, accelerate the development of the low-altitude economy, and foster emerging industries such as embodied intelligent robotics, while strengthening high-level sci-tech innovation platforms.

Efforts will also focus on enhancing Chongqing’s role as an inland opening-up gateway. The city will improve its modern multi-modal transport and logistics system, boost the efficiency of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, upgrade the China (Chongqing) Pilot Free Trade Zone, and further advance the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Project on Strategic Connectivity (CCI). High-level opening-up is expected to continue serving as a key driver of high-quality development.

In parallel, Chongqing will deepen reform across key sectors, advance state-owned enterprise reform, optimize factor market allocation, and foster a more dynamic and business-friendly environment.

The city will further modernize megacity governance by strengthening digital capabilities, improving the coordination of its digital governance centers, expanding AI-enabled applications, and enhancing urban resilience and safety. Urban renewal, public service improvements, and the development of “15-minute high-quality living circles” will remain priorities.

Greater efforts will also be made to advance urban-rural integration and rural revitalization by improving regional connectivity, supporting the development of sub-central cities, promoting agricultural digital transformation, and expanding income opportunities for rural residents.

Meanwhile, Chongqing will continue to advance ecological protection and green transformation, strengthening integrated ecosystem governance, improving water, air, and waste management, enhancing biodiversity protection, and building a green, low-carbon energy system to safeguard ecological security in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

Yuan called for coordinated efforts across the municipality to ensure a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan and to write a new chapter of Chinese modernization in Chongqing.

 (Zhang Xinyue, as an intern, also contributed to the report.)