At the 2023 annual meeting of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), members from Chongqing jointly proposed that the National Reform and Development Commission (NDRC) support Liangjiang New Area of Chongqing and Tianfu New Area of Sichuan in establishing industrial cooperation.

The proposal calls for the NDRC to support the two new areas in jointly building a world-class industry cluster of intelligent and connected new energy vehicles, focusing on top-level design and favorable policies, to help with obstacles to development faced by leading car manufacturers and endorse the two new areas as a national demonstration city cluster for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

It calls for greater support for Liangjiang and Tianfu as the main destinations for industry transfer from east to west China, which will be helpful in optimizing the industrial division across the country. It also suggests increasing the amount and scope of project subsidies for infrastructure projects in the two new areas.

Liangjiang and Tianfu, as the only two national new areas in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, shoulder the responsibility of carrying out national strategies, according to the proposal. Aiming to become an important economic center, technological innovation center, new center for opening up and reform, and highly-livable place, the two new areas are making the most of their respective roles and continuously enhancing economic strength and influence.

Following the planning outline for the construction of the economic circle, the two new areas launched eight industrial alliances, with the auto industry and electronics industry as highlights, to foster industrial clusters and enhance industrial capacity and competitiveness. As the alliances are taking shape, the time is ripe for industrial cooperation, said the proposal.

In 2022, Liangjiang New Area saw an industrial cluster made up of 10 car manufacturers and more than 200 core parts providers. Fifty-seven percent of cars and 60 percent of NEVs in Chongqing were made in Liangjiang. Tianfu New Are produced 980 thousand cars in 2022, with an output value of 155.1 billion yuan ($22.48 billion), and produced 40 thousand NEVs, increasing 36 percent year on year.

The auto industry is a pillar industry in Liangjiang New Area. [Photo by Ran Yulin]

In 2022, Liangjiang New Area registered a GDP of 455.06 billion yuan, ranking 4th among national new areas and contributing about 15 percent of Chongqing's total GDP. Tianfu New Area's GDP hit 453.24 billion yuan, ranking 5th among national new areas and accounting for 7.8 percent of Sichuan's total.