Chongqing- The Western China International Communication Organization (WCICO) on June 18 released three key international cooperative research projects for 2026, bringing together academic institutions from Asia and Latin America to examine Chongqing's local practices of Chinese modernization through a comparative global lens.

The official release of the 2026 key research projects. (Graphic/Li Jiao)

The projects, launched under the International Symposium on the Global Significance of Chinese Modernization, will be carried out with the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore, the Latin American Council of Social Sciences, or CLACSO, and Brazil's Fundação Maurício Grabois.

The research program focuses on issues many of these countries face, including regional connectivity, urban governance, sustainable development, and ecological protection.

From infrastructure to human connections: rethinking regional connectivity

The first project, "Regional Connectivity from a Southeast Asian Perspective," will be led by Vineeta Sinha, Director of the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore, and Maitrii Aung-Thwin, Deputy Director of the institute.

Vineeta Sinha, Director of the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore, introduces the research framework for the project "Regional Connectivity from a Southeast Asian Perspective". (Photo/WCICO)

The project looks beyond physical infrastructure such as railways, roads, ports, and logistics networks. It will examine how knowledge, culture, talent mobility, and institutional coordination shape regional cooperation, with a focus on Southeast Asian practices in infrastructure development, digital networks, institutional coordination, and people-to-people exchanges.

Chongqing will serve as a key case. As an important node of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, a logistics route linking western China with Southeast Asia and global markets, Chongqing has deepened cooperation with Singapore and other ASEAN countries in logistics, industrial collaboration, trade, and cultural exchange.

Chongqing and Latin America: mutual learning in megacity governance

While connectivity and industry address external links, the second project focuses on how cities govern themselves. "Development Models and Urban Governance Innovation in the Global South: Comparative Studies of Chongqing and Latin American Cities" will be led by Daniela Perrotta, an expert from CLACSO.

Daniela Perrotta, an expert from the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO), introduces the research focus of the project "Development Models and Urban Governance Innovation in the Global South: Comparative Studies of Chongqing and Latin American Cities." (Photo/WCICO)

The project will compare Chongqing with representative cities in Latin America, focusing not only on economic growth but also on why some cities can maintain long-term development, policy continuity, and improve governance capacity.

The research will examine key dimensions like state capacity, long-term planning, social inclusion, and ecological transition. It will compare Chongqing and Latin American cities in megacity governance, industrial transformation, public services, and ecological construction, exploring how Global South cities respond to shared challenges under different institutional conditions.

Yangtze-Amazon dialogue: seeking balance between development and ecology

The third project extends the discussion from urban governance to river basin ecology. "Urban Development and Ecological Protection of Major Rivers: A Study on Ecological Protection Mechanisms in the Yangtze River and the Brazilian Section of the Amazon Basin" will be led by André Tokarski, representative of the Fundação Maurício Grabois in Brazil.

André Tokarski, representative of Brazil's Fundação Maurício Grabois, outlines the research direction of the project "Urban Development and Ecological Protection of Major Rivers: A Study on Ecological Protection Mechanisms in the Yangtze River and the Brazilian Section of the Amazon Basin." (Photo/WCICO)

The study will compare the Yangtze and Amazon basins, focusing on ecological governance, river basin management, ecological compensation, and community participation. It will examine how China and Brazil balance development and environmental protection.

Chongqing, located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, is an important city for Yangtze River ecological protection. The research team will study Chongqing's experience in ecological restoration along the Yangtze, and green development within the broader context of global river basin governance.

The research project will help promote a "Yangtze-Amazon ecological dialogue" mechanism and support long-term exchanges between China and Brazil in ecological protection.

Over the next year, the research teams will conduct field studies and join international forums. Their findings will be released globally through multilingual multimedia products under Global Vision, an international observation program of WCICO. Chongqing's development story is expected to enter broader academic discussions on modernization, governance, and sustainable development, thereby contributing to building a community with a shared future for humanity.