Southwest China's Chongqing municipality achieved progress in its efforts in advancing industrial transformation and upgrading for high-quality economic growth in 2019, according to the ongoing annual session of the municipal people's congress.
The municipality set its primary focus on the intelligent and big data industries, with the added value of its digital economy last year registering a yearly increase of 15 percent.
Sales revenue of Chongqing's intelligent industry grew by 14 percent year on year in 2019 and 140 digital workshops and intelligent factories were built last year.
Chongqing has also improved its pillar industries. The transformation of its automobile industry has accelerated, with the output of new energy vehicles expected to increase by 10 percent year on year in 2019.
Last year, the development of Chongqing's service industry was also on the fast track, with the municipality's online sales revenue exceeding 120 billion yuan ($17.35 billion). Its total retail sales of consumer goods in 2019 was expected to grow by 8.5 percent.
According to the annual session, Chongqing will continue to promote transformation and upgrading of its pillar industries in 2020, covering sectors including automobiles, motorcycles and energy. Meanwhile, the municipality will build 30,000 new 5G base stations in 2020.
John Edwards, the UK trade commissioner for China, praised Chongqing over its rise as a burgeoning center in intelligent manufacturing.