CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Chongqing welcomes its new guest during the spring equinox season. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a visit for diplomatic envoys from 26 countries and regions in Europe, Africa, and Asia from March 20 to March 22. They were impressed by the outstanding natural beauty, the flourishing manufacturing industry, and the level of opening-up of Chongqing.

This visit to Chongqing is “extraordinary”, as it is the first time that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has organized a visit to Chongqing for diplomatic envoys since the 20th National People's Congress of the Communist Party; it is the first visit to a local government the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has organized for the diplomatic envoys since the First Session of the 14th National People's Congress and the First Session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference were held in 2023; it marks the largest diplomatic delegation Chongqing has received in recent years, with the highest number of countries and regions represented; it’s also one of the activities (@Chongqing@the World) held by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government.

“Chongqing is ready to achieve something great.” A netizen wrote the comment on the video released by Hualong.com.

01

An extraordinary "road"

A new understanding of the opening-up level of Chongqing

Why held this large-scale event in Chongqing? With geographical advantages and strategic importance, Chongqing is typical of many across China – a (provincial) city that persists in the integral development of economy, society, and environmental protection, and opens its door to the world, Wu Hongbo, the special representative of the Chinese government on European Affairs answered.

Therefore, the visit is filled with “Chongqing features”. The distinctive industries, economic development, revolutionary history and culture of the Communist Party, intelligent manufacturing, the ecological environment, intangible cultural heritage, and popular tourist attractions of Chongqing are all telling the all-around development of Chongqing.

A train of China Railway Express (Chengdu-Chongqing) loaded with electronic products, machinery parts, and daily necessities departed at 10:00 on March 21.

The diplomatic envoys took pictures and videos with their phones to capture this moment. “How can an inland city develop such a powerful transport system?” Batlang Serema, the ambassador to China from the Republic of Botswana gave an exclamation of surprise at the Exhibition Center of Inland International Logistics Hub.

From the exhibition center, you can see that the corridors of the international logistics system, centering around Chongqing, link it with others countries and regions. The western area the eastern area, and the northern area are connected to Chongqing by China Railway Express (Chengdu-Chongqing), Chongqing-Ningbo Express, and Chongqing-Manzhou-Russia Express respectively.

Chongqing has changed from an inland city to one of the "frontiers" of Chinese Reform and Opening.

Situated at the junction of the Belt and Road and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Chongqing is the only metropolitan in western China incorporating rail, road, water, and air transport. Not only it is one of the four international comprehensive transportation hubs in China, but Chongqing also plays a significant role in the development of the Belt and Road, the New Western Land-sea Corridor, the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, and other national strategies.

In terms of infrastructure, Chongqing has also fulfilled the conditions to become a national logistics hub. Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, one of the eight hub airports in China, plays an important role in supporting the construction of an international aviation hub and a world-class airport cluster in the Chengdu-Chongqing region.

Attracted by the all-around opening up and the global mindset of Chongqing, many diplomatic envoys excitedly decided to form a business partnership with Chongqing.

“There is a large container terminal in Malta, and I hope we can cooperate with the transportation department of Chongqing to open up a transportation route connecting Chongqing with Malta,” John Busuttil, Malta's ambassador to China said expectantly.

Alenka Suhadonik, Slovenia's ambassador to China, was also full of excitement, saying, “Slovenia does a lot of trade with China, mainly through water transport. Chongqing has a great geographical advantage, and we may achieve easier transport through China Railway Express in the future.”

Countries without direct transport links with Chongqing were also seeking an opportunity. Selim Belortaja, the Albanian ambassador to China, said, "although our railroad system is not connected with China Railway Express, we can transport goods to Hungary’s Budapest, or some cities in Germany or Italy. We can use a multimodal transport system to achieve better cooperation."

02

Extraordinary "New"

Chongqing manufacturing attracted immediate foreign investments

Over 1,000 intelligent robots are working at the Liangjiang Intelligent Factory of SERES. The foreign guests couldn’t wait to try the “Chongqing-made” intelligent network-connected new energy vehicles at the closed section outside the workshop and were amazed by the breathtaking acceleration, intelligent operation, and streamlined looks of the vehicles.

Behind the impressive driving experience lies the power of new advanced technologies and applications. With nearly 3,000 core technology patents, SERES is one of the few Chinese enterprises that master the technologies of batteries, electric control systems, and power generators. It also has an industry-leading electrically-powered super intelligent technology platform (DE-i) with independent intellectual property rights.

"Could I have your WeChat? We want to buy your cars!" Selim Belortaja, like many other ambassadors to China, came to Chongqing with a mission. He said, "we might place a very substantial of orders from you this year."

“Chongqing shows me the future of China,” Hassan Rabehi, the Algerian ambassador to China praised. He told the staff member that Algeria had issued a new investment law a few months ago, which provided foreign investors with many advantages and privileges.

The SERES vehicles illustrate the Chongqing-made vehicles developing into high-end automobiles. Chongqing has given energetic support to the high-end and eco-friendly development of Chongqing’s automotive industry featuring energy recovery and intelligent network connection over recent years. It has comes top of the list in China for overall development. Chongqing's auto industry has achieved an annual production capacity of nearly 4 million and formed the "1+10+1000" industrial cluster by the end of 2022.

With a growing number of innovative and intelligent technologies, Chongqing is fast-tracking its development of the digital economy and traditional industries. The increasingly intelligent industries will drive the development of this city and enable new cooperation opportunities for those foreign diplomatic envoys. (Translated by Yuki, Fathom Language Limited)