Metropolis pushes ahead with integrated development

Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, has made great strides in developing a combined metropolitan area, which comprises the provincial capital and the three adjoining cities of Deyang, Ziyang and Meishan.

The area is a main driving force for Sichuan's economic growth, contributing 48 percent of the province's GDP in the first quarter of this year, according to the city government.

In April, the four cities jointly issued a declaration to create a stable and fair business environment.

Authorities will promote data sharing in the area and streamline administration so as to offer convenient services to residents and companies, according to the declaration.

Enterprises must be given equal treatment regardless of their location, size and ownership, the declaration said. Local governments also plan to set up a judicial cooperation mechanism to secure the transparency and justice of the market.

To maximize the efficiency of resource allocation, Chengdu launched a supply-demand matchmaking event in 2019. The event has been held in all cities in the metropolitan area.

According to the Chengdu new economic development commission, organizers reached out to local authorities and enterprises on every leg and then listed their major demands as well as what they can supply. A batch of 375 items were released during the Meishan leg in March.

By pooling resources and the needs of the four cities, the event has accelerated the regional coordinated development, said Zhou Hong, deputy director of the Chengdu new economic development commission.

Local governments will expand cooperation in fields such as urban planning and across industries, giving a boost to the regional economy, he added.

Statistics show the four cities have put out a total of 1,900 items over three years. About 70 projects received investment thanks to the event, involving a capital input of more than 10 billion yuan ($1.55 billion).

Local officials said the building of the Chengdu-centered metropolitan area is not just a geographical integration; it also requires combined efforts and deeper cooperation.

On June 27, Chengdu Tianfu Airport started operation after five years of construction. Its opening makes Chengdu the third city in China that has two international air hubs, following Shanghai and Beijing.

The 298-square-kilometer Chengdu Tianfu Airport Economic Zone consists of two subareas in Chengdu and Ziyang.

Both cities are ramping up efforts to bolster the zone and airport-related industries such as the airport service industry, aviation logistics and aviation manufacturing, said local authorities.

The zone is expected to become a new engine powering the high-quality development of the metropolitan area in the coming years, they said.

About 60 km south of downtown Chengdu, Meishan has a thriving pharmaceutical industry. The Meishan Economic and Development New Zone in the city's Dongpo district is known as "West China's Medicine Valley".

Based on close collaboration in the healthcare sector, Chengdu's Wuhou district established a sister-district relationship with Dongpo at the end of last year.

Wuhou boasts advantages in medical research and finance, while the Meishan Economic and Development New Zone is competent in pharmaceutical production and logistics, said Peng Huanzhou, an official from the administration committee of the zone.

"We hope to form an industrial pattern in the future with research in Chengdu and production in Meishan," Peng added.

As for Deyang, the city's International Railway Logistics Port is strengthening its ties with Chengdu International Railway Port to together improve port-based industries.

Located in Qingbaijiang district, Chengdu International Railway Port is a vital logistics hub in the province serving the Chengdu route of China-Europe freight trains.

Despite the effect of COVID-19, the port fulfilled 2.4 million overseas e-commerce orders in 2020, up 2.8 times on the previous year. From January to May, its import and export value increased by 15.4 percent compared with the same period of 2020.

Meanwhile, the port has played a key role in spurring the mutual development of Chengdu and Chongqing, a municipality in Southwest China.

It has signed a cooperation agreement with Chongqing's Wanzhou Port and Chongqing International Logistics Hub Park to further expand the international logistics network, according to local authorities.

On June 18, the port launched its first China-Europe freight train for business-to-business cross-border e-commerce.

The port authorities said it was an endeavor to diversify trade patterns and enhance abilities and services provided by China-Europe (Chengdu and Chongqing) freight trains.

"My company's cross-border e-commerce business will be more competitive among its peers considering the reduced transport time and cost," said He Tao, deputy manager of Chengdu Yiheyoucang Logistics, which has delivered goods via the special train services.

Since the Chengdu route became operational in 2013, it has seen more than 8,000 trips made by China-Europe freight trains.

The port now has seven international rail lines and five sea-rail freight routes that connect Chengdu with 59 overseas cities and 20 Chinese cities.