Chongqing — The 2026 Overseas Chinese Media and Community Leaders Sichuan-Chongqing Tour — Spotlight on the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle began in Chongqing on June 12, bringing together more than 20 overseas Chinese-language media outlets and 11 prominent overseas Chinese community leaders.

The Chongqing leg is part of the 2026 Belt and Road Conference for Overseas Chinese Cooperation and Development, an important parallel event to the broader initiative that promotes international exchange and cooperation.

Participants will visit Chongqing’s Beibei District, Rongchang District, Bishan District and Tongliang District. The program focuses on opening-up platforms, distinctive industries, industrial parks, the business environment, urban landscapes, leading enterprises, cultural and tourism integration, local folk traditions, cultural and scenic attractions, and rural revitalization.

The bird's-eye view of Rongchang District, Chongqing. (Photo/Wang Yunfei)

Chongqing, the only municipality directly under the central government in western China, serves as a key hub in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, a major regional development strategy aimed at promoting coordinated development in western China.

During the tour, overseas Chinese media representatives and community leaders will observe cooperation between Chongqing and Sichuan in industrial complementarity, transport connectivity, resource sharing, market integration and public services. They are expected to gain a deeper understanding of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle's role in strengthening domestic and international circulation and linking resources at home and abroad.

The program also highlights Chongqing’s role in advancing industrial upgrading in western China, expanding inland channels for international cooperation and supporting broader regional development.

Splendid Chongqing Mountain Night. (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism)

Organizers said the initiative leverages the communication strengths of overseas Chinese-language media and the global networks of overseas Chinese community leaders to promote international exchanges and cooperation.

Through on-site visits and reporting, the program aims to present overseas audiences with a multi-dimensional and in-depth story of Chongqing’s high-quality development and modernization.

A promotion event will also be held during the tour to explore investment and cooperation opportunities, helping relevant enterprises and products expand globally and opening new channels for international exchange.

China News Service (CNS), a major state news organization in China, has long coordinated with overseas Chinese-language media to strengthen international communication and cultural ties. It continues to develop new formats to improve global storytelling.

The Overseas Chinese Media Tour is a flagship international reporting program of China News Service (CNS). Since its launch in 2008, it has been held for 18 consecutive years, covering all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across China and helping to broaden international understanding of China’s regional development and opening-up efforts.

(Zhang Xuege, as an intern, also contributed to this report)