A Central Asia youth leaders delegation paid a visit to Liangjiang New Area on Sept 8. A total of 20 representatives from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated.

The delegation visited several places in Liangjiang New Area , including Xingjiaqiao community, E-cool, and Changan Automobile, to explore Chongqing's urban development.

The delegation visits Xingjiaqiao community in Liangjiang New Area. [Photo provided to liangjiang.gov.cn]

The delegation visited Xingjiaqiao community, which is a classic example of community renovation through cooperation between the local government and residents. 

In 2017, the local government launched a free renovation and transformation project for the 30-year-old community. Despite multiple disputes in the neighborhood at first, the neighborhood committee was determined to stay on track to fix dilapidated buildings and aging infrastructure to improve safety.     

During the visit, the delegation learned about the community's changes, including safer housing, more convenient community facilities, and a more hygienic living environment. They also visited the ecological garden and social work hub and participated in a community troubleshooting session in Xingjiaqiao community to experience how the community develops through a resident self-governance model.

The delegation chats with local residents. [Photo provided to liangjiang.gov.cn]

Xiaobo, an international student from Tajikistan, said that it was good to see people working to improve their own lot.

As benefiting the people is the fundamental purpose of governance, the local government encourages deeper participation among residents on governance affairs, said Xie Lan, Party chief of Xingjiaqiao community,

 In the afternoon, the delegation visited E-cool, an art center transformed from obsolete factories and houses and featuring designer furniture, art exhibitions and salons from China and overseas.

The delegation visits Jinshan E-cool in Liangjiang New Area. [Photo provided to liangjiang.gov.cn]

"The art here is open to the public and is themed on cultivating a new lifestyle," said Huang Linna from Kazakhstan, after visiting the Contemporary Small-Scale Art Collection and Promotion Program of Chongqing 2023 in E-cool. The exhibition selected 700 artworks from 30 art academies in China and has been held five times since 2018.

The delegation also visited Changan Automobile's factory and global R&D center to get an overview of the rapid development of the automobile sector in Chongqing, especially new energy vehicles.

The delegation visits Changan Automobile's factory in Liangjiang New Area. [Photo provided to liangjiang.gov.cn]

The delegation's visit also includes other districts in Chongqing and is a prelude to the 2023 China-Central Human Rights and Development Forum. The forum, with the tagline "Youth's Responsibility in Jointly Building the Belt and Road", will be held on Sep 12 in Beijing.