By Xinyi Li, EDITOR

From May 16 to 19, the 2nd WCIFIT opened in Chongqing, attracting tens of thousands of Chinese manufacturers and purchasers worldwide to gather in the Mountain City. With great changes in the past 22 years, we have witnessed the economic development and transformation of Western China, embodying the confidence of China in the economy.

The robots for welding at the 2nd WCIFIT

Western industries are striving for high-quality development

Formerly known as the China Chongqing International Investment and Global Sourcing Fair (CCISF), it was renamed WCIFIT in 2018.

At the 2nd WCIFIT, Chongqing Sokon Industry Group launched its latest product—intelligent connected vehicle (ICV) featuring speech control, long-range control and scene interaction. Sokon Group has been an exhibitor for 15 consecutive years. “Without the capability to produce cars at first, our exhibits only covered primary components for motorcycles such as the shock absorber.” According to Liu Liying, Marketing Director of Chongqing Sokon Motor (Group) Imp. & Exp. Co., Ltd... Meanwhile, the Group later exhibited low-end passenger vehicles with a market price of about RMB 30,000, but it now possesses the capability of producing ICVs and PEVs.

Visitors enjoyed the model of Fuxing Hao

The 2nd WCIFIT focuses on the exhibition of industries related to big data intelligence and high-end manufacturing such as intelligent robots, drones, smart home, ICVs, and private commercial rockets. Enjoying 20 years of experience in handling exhibition affairs, Shen Qingliang, Secretary General of Chongqing Global Sourcing Promotion Center, said that the early CCISF mainly exhibited primary industrial products and agricultural products. Nowadays, however, it has switched the focus to high-end, intelligent, digital products.

Yi Xiaoguang, Director of Chongqing Institute of Comprehensive Economic Research, said, “The changes in products reflect the transformation and upgrading of the leading industries in the western area, as well as the pace of high-quality development.”

The west is transforming into an open area

During the 2nd WCIFIT, the New Land-Sea Corridor Cooperation Exhibition Area made its debut. The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) is a result made by western provinces, autonomous regions and municipality (Chongqing), together with Singapore. Significantly shortened the time to the sea through the eastern region, covering 166 ports in 71 countries.

The folk performance at the 2nd WCIFIT

The once-closed western area, relying on the convenient international logistics channel, has opened its door to the world. It is accessible to the sea via the Yangtze River eastward. Toward the west, western cities including Chongqing have opened China Railway Express directly to Europe. And southward, ILSTC can reach around the world.

There were more than 4,000 enterprises or institutions from 95 countries and regions participating in the 2nd WCIFIT, with the amount of the contracts signed exceeding RMB 330 billion.

The whole western area is working together to undertake the historical mission

During this WCIFIT, the signing of an agreement attracted much attention. Chongqing, Guangxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Ningxia, and Shaanxi signed the Cooperation Agreement on Co-Building ILSTC, which marked the further expanded cooperation in the western area.

Visitors interacted with a robot at the 2nd WCIFIT

At the beginning of the construction ofILSTC, the cooperation mechanism only covered Chongqing, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Gansu. Nonetheless, the number of members has increased to nine, which reflects the collaborative development in Western China.

Cooperation is becoming a common view of the western area. At the Western Asia Open Summit, Sichuan expressed its expectation of working together with western provinces, autonomous regions, and municipality to boost the regional coordinated development. Shaanxi also said it would enhance the cooperation, in a bid to advance the liberalization and facilitation of investment and trade and to co-build ILSTC.

According to Li Jing, Dean of Economics School, Chongqing Technology and Business University, “Facing complicated surroundings, Western China, with a population of more than 400 million and an area of two-thirds of the country, will make joint efforts to release the development potential and bear this significant historical mission.”

Source: Xinhuanet