The 19th China Chongqing International Investment and Global Sourcing Fair opened in Liangjiang New Area on May 19.

Liangjiang New Area signed 15 cooperation agreements worth a total of $1.79 billion, with the focus on the Sino-Singapore Connectivity Initiative.

The areas of cooperation include aviation, finance, information services, electronics and robots.

In terms of Sino-Singapore cooperation, Jiangbeizui Investment Cooperation signed an agreement with Ameuro Sci-Tech Alliance to launch a Sino-Singapore Connectivity Innovation Center, focusing on scientific innovation, start-up businesses, commercial development, education and business recruitment. The center is aimed at bringing science and technological companies to the Liangjiang New Area.

Negotiations to bring in eight Singapore institutions and fourteen Singapore companies involved in financial services, logistics, intellectual property rights and scientific and technological innovation are underway.

The project is expected to eventually generate over $100 million in foreign capital.

Chongqing Liangjiang Financial Firm, which is directly under the administration of the Liangjiang New Area, has applied to the Singapore Branch of the ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China) for a loan of $30 million. The firm is a pathfinder of cross-border finance within the Sino-Singapore cooperative framework.

Liangjiang has launched an aviation cultural promotion program to establish a cultural experience center and the first aviation theme hall in Chongqing, which is expected to open in the Liangjiang New Area this September.

Liangjiang also signed a cooperation agreement with the China Express Training Center to jointly launch centers for training in CRJ900 airplane operation, aircraft stewards, and aircraft maintenance.

In the scientific technology area, Liangjiang will construct a smart SIM card manufacturing center together with Taisys Technologies Co. Ltd in Taiwan.

Liangjiang also signed cooperation agreements with NGQW Science and Technology Industrial Robots, Wujihua Robots and Jieqing Robots in the robots and smart equipment area, including 3D printing programs.

The year 2016 is the beginning of the 13th Five Year Plan. Over these five years, Liangjiang will work on three pillar industries namely automobiles, electronics and equipment, ten strategic emerging industries and ten modern services industries.

From January to April the Liangjiang New Area signed 62 projects with a total capital of 38.7 billion yuan. In early May, Liangjiang signed several further cooperative agreements with Alibaba and Huayi Brothers Media with a total investment of $4 billion.