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Speakers:

Mr. Hu Henghua, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Chongqing Municipal Committee and mayor of Chongqing 

Mr. Chen Xinwu, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, secretary-general of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, and executive vice mayor of Chongqing

Mr. Zheng Xiangdong, vice mayor of Chongqing

Mr. Jiang Duntao, vice mayor of Chongqing

Chairperson:

Ms. Shou Xiaoli, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

June 5, 2024

Shou Xiaoli:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the 26th briefing in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we have invited Mr. Hu Henghua, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Chongqing Municipal committee and mayor of Chongqing, to brief you on building Chongqing into a key strategic fulcrum for the development of China's western region in the new era and a comprehensive hub for inland opening-up, and to take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Chen Xinwu, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, secretary-general of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, and executive vice mayor of Chongqing; Mr. Zheng Xiangdong, vice mayor of Chongqing; and Mr. Jiang Duntao, vice mayor of Chongqing.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Hu for his introduction. 

Hu Henghua:

Friends from the media, good morning. I would like to express my gratitude to you for your long-term interest in and support for Chongqing. It's a great pleasure for me to brief you on Chongqing's economic and social development here. 

Chongqing, a municipality directly under the central government in central and western China, boasts the largest area and population among all cities in the country. It has undertaken multiple strategic missions including development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. General Secretary Xi Jinping puts great importance on Chongqing's development. He visited the city in 2016 and 2019, and again in April this year to provide further guidance. He urged Chongqing to build itself into a key strategic fulcrum for the development of China's western region in the new era and a comprehensive hub for inland opening-up, thus making Chongqing's contribution to Chinese modernization. 

Since the 20th CPC National Congress, we have thoroughly implemented a series of important instructions and requirements made by General Secretary Xi Jinping, striving to advance high-quality development, create a high-standard of living, and facilitate highly efficient governance. Last year, Chongqing's GDP increased by 6.1%, making it the first city in central and western China to exceed 3 trillion yuan. In the first quarter of this year, its GDP grew by 6.2%, marking a good start and recovery momentum in economic and social development, securing solid progress in building a new and modern Chongqing. 

We have remained committed to pursuing high-quality development and fostering new quality productive forces according to local conditions. As a major manufacturing hub, Chongqing boasts all 31 major manufacturing categories. Adhering to the principle of building the city's foundation through industry and enhancing its strength through manufacturing, Chongqing is accelerating the construction of a modernized industrial system. As an old industrial base, Chongqing is experiencing a resurgence of new vitality. Intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs), next-generation electronic information manufacturing, and advanced materials are growing into trillion-yuan level industrial clusters. Vehicle production has exceeded 2.3 million, with over 500,000 NEVs produced. One out of every three laptops in the world is made in Chongqing. The modern production service industry has empowered advanced manufacturing. The western financial center in the Chengdu-Chongqing area has gathered more than 1,800 financial institutions. Software and information service industries are thriving, creating a vibrant and expansive landscape. The workforce in these sectors has increased by nearly 150,000 in the past two years, totaling 369,000, with main business revenue exceeding 360 billion yuan. Regional cooperation and open development have expanded new horizons, with the tale of the two cities of Chengdu and Chongqing becoming increasingly captivating. The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor now connects with 514 ports in 123 countries and regions, transporting more and more Chongqing products to the world, making the inland city a frontier of China's westward and southward opening-up.