Chongqing aims to become a science and technology innovation center for western China

By Liu Xinyu

(ECNS) – Chongqing has unveiled a new policy blueprint to accelerate innovation-led growth, following the Ninth Plenary Session of the Sixth Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held on Monday. Officials approved a policy document outlining the city's priorities and major tasks for building a stronger, innovation-driven economy.

By 2030, Chongqing aims to become a science and technology innovation center for western China, a nationally influential source of modern industrial innovation, a globally connected center for open innovation cooperation, an AI innovation application hub, a "tropical rainforest-style" innovation ecosystem, and a practice base for inclusive and shared innovation that benefits the people.

Jiang Hui, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and head of its Publicity Department, said at a press conference on Tuesday that the plenum approved the policy document.

Fang Lei, party secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, told reporters that the plenum for the first time proposed a "203060" key breakthrough system - building more than 20 strategic innovation platforms, tackling over 30 key breakthrough directions, and delivering at least 60 landmark achievements that can be applied or commercialized.

"The '20+' strategic innovation platforms serve as the foundation, integrating and pooling innovation resources," Fang said. "The '30+' key breakthrough directions are the targets, while the '60+' landmark achievements are the results and the practical application points for industrial development."

Wang Zhijie, director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, said Chongqing will drive its intelligent connected new energy vehicle industry toward the high end of the global value chain, upgrading the "vehicle + parts + aftermarket" ecosystem and building world-class automotive groups.

The city will also push its motorcycle industry toward high-end, electric and intelligent development, strengthening the "one-hour motorcycle industry circle" and building itself into a global motorcycle hub.

"Innovation-driven development in AI is not a choice for Chongqing - it is a must-answer question in seizing the opportunities of technological and industrial revolution to shape new regional competitive advantages," said Gao Jian, director of the Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

Gao said AI has become the core driving force for Chongqing to build latecomer advantages and achieve leapfrog development. He elaborated that the city will focus on three key areas: innovation-driven efforts to build AI innovation clusters, ecosystem empowerment to strengthen distinctive AI industries, and scenario-led application to empower all industries.

"AI defines industries, and industries feed back into AI," he said, describing the most distinctive feature of Chongqing's AI development strategy.

The city will focus on key areas including intelligent connected new energy vehicles, embodied intelligence and the low-altitude economy, accelerating the development of a national AI application pilot base and nurturing distinctive AI industries with competitive advantages.

Chen Ying, executive deputy director of the Organization Department of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, overseeing the office's daily operations, said the city will use international talent exchange events as a window to promote "Innovative Chongqing" to the world and attract top talent, aiming to recruit more than 15,000 urgently needed professionals.

Huang Chaoyong, deputy secretary-general of the Chongqing Municipal Committee and executive deputy director of the Reform Office, overseeing the office's daily operations, said the plan to build a "tropical rainforest-style" innovation ecosystem aims to create an environment where innovation vitality and sources of creativity can flourish freely across society.

Key measures include leveraging digital and intelligent technologies to optimize international trade mechanisms, building intelligent agents for the safe governance of megacity development and services, and deepening the "industrial brain + future farm" model innovation.