Liangjiang leads comparable new areas in total GDP

The total GDP of Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area ranked first among inland state-level new areas, stated Xu Hongqiu, the deputy secretary of the Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Party Work Committee and vice-director of the Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Administrative Committee, in a recent press conference.

Liangjiang New Area was established in 2010 as the first national-level opening-up and development area in inland China and the third nationwide after Shanghai Pudong New Area and Tianjian Binhai New Area.

Positioned as a leader in inland opening-up, Liangjiang has devised various methods to gather global resources and form an open economy.

Guoyuan Port is the largest port on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. It has a multi-modal transportation system that integrates railways, highways, waterways, and airways. It offers regular services along the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, China-Europe Railway Express (Chongqing), Yangtze River-Golden Waterway, and the Chongqing-Manzhouli-Russia freight railway.

Guoyuan Port is the only port-type national logistics hub in Western China. [Photo by Feng Zhiyi/provided to english.liangjiang.gov.cn]

The port offers efficient logistics options for cross-border trading. For a local carmaker, the time needed to deliver products to Southeast Asia has been reduced from one month to a week.

Guoyuan Port is part of the Chongqing Lianglu Guoyuan Port Comprehensive Bonded Zone, the only special customs supervision area in inland China that integrates the function of a port and airport. The bonded zone has established an open industrial system of a 100 billion scale, while its annual trading volume is approaching 200 billion yuan. For every two cross-border e-commerce parcels from Chongqing, one is issued from the bonded zone.

A system of 20 billion yuan to support innovation

At the press conference, Xu highlighted the sci-tech innovation achievements made by Liangjiang. The new area has gathered more than 5,000 sci-tech enterprises and more than 900 high-tech enterprises. Venture capital amounting to 20 billion yuan ($2.79 billion) has been earmarked to support innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Liangjiang Collaborative Innovation Zone gathers research institutes from home and abroad. [Photo by Chen Lin/provided to english.liangjiang.gov.cn]

An example is the Liangjiang Collaborative Innovation Zone, a center of sci-tech innovation and the commercialization of research achievements. The zone has formed an incubation system and a funding system to provide comprehensive services to research teams and startups throughout all growth stages.

So far, the Liangjiang Collaborative Innovation Zone has gathered more than 50 research institutes, accumulated more than 1,500 patents and commercialized more than 660 sci-tech achievements, said Xu.

A car produced every 30 seconds

Liangjiang new area has fostered three leading industries with an output of at least 300 billion yuan, three pillar industries with an output of at least 50 billion yuan, five distinctive industries with an output of at least 10 billion yuan, and 11 emerging industries.

The auto industry, one of the three leading industries in the new area, exceeded 180 billion yuan in output value in 2023 alone. More than 200 enterprises along the auto supply chain are operating in the new area, including first-tier car makers and suppliers with global reputations such as Changan Auto and Continental.

Seres, Huawei's auto partner, opened its super factory in Liangjiang this February. With over 3,000 robots and fully automated processes, the factory is able to manufacture a car every 30 seconds when at full capacity. This July, Seres celebrated the completion of its 400,000th vehicle. The company has exported its products to more than 70 countries and regions, including Europe, Africa, and Central Asia.

Data show that in 2023, Liangjiang New Area reported a GDP growth rate of 6.5 percent, a 5.4 percent increase in the added value of its industries above a designated size, and a 15.8 percent increase in the total retail sales of consumer goods.