Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle Hits 8.2 Trillion Yuan in 2023, Emerging as a New Growth Hub

Chengdu - In 2023, the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle's total economic output reached 8.2 trillion yuan ($1.12 trillion), 6.5% of the national total. According to a joint media event on December 25, significant progress has been made, especially in scientific and tech innovation, marking the rise of a new growth hub.

Wu Yonghong, Second-level Inspector of the Sichuan Provincial Development and Reform Commission, said that the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle has become China’s first regional science and technology innovation center. He highlighted 257 collaborative tech projects, including innovations like the 400 km/h high-speed train energy-saving assistive driving system.

Chengdu-Chongqing collaboration piloted tech achievement reforms, formed key alliances, and hosted the Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchange, cultivating more than 24,000 high-tech enterprises.

Cloud-based cooperation boosts tech commercialization

Bridging News reporter has learned that Chengdu Science and Technology Ecological Island began trial operations in late October 2023 and has partnered with Chongqing's Liangjiang Collaborative Innovation Zone at Mingyue Lake to enable shared access to technological resources.

A bird view of Chengdu Science and Technology Ecological Island. (Photo/ Ma Ji)

Chengdu Science and Technology Ecological Island, spanning 1.4 million square meters, drives tech transformation, industry incubation, and regional collaboration within the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle while supporting innovation and international cooperation under the Belt and Road initiative.

"We share many goals with Mingyue Lake," said Yan Yan, head of Chengdu Science and Technology Ecological Island. She highlighted the strong industry fit between their park and Liangjiang Mingyue Lake Industrial Innovation Park. After discussions last year, both sides agreed on breaking physical barriers to better share technological resources.

Yan Yan, head of Chengdu Science and Technology Ecological Island, introduced the layout of Chengdu Science and Technology Ecological Island. (Photo/ Vivian Yan)

The effect picture of Chengdu Science and Technology Ecological Island. (Photo/ Chengdu Science and Technology Ecological Island)

They've launched cloud-based cooperation and integrated their online platforms. Users can access each other's innovation resources through an app, helping enterprises and investors in Sichuan and Chongqing connect and drive technology commercialization.

This November 2023, the third Chongqing-Chengdu Dual Core Collaboration Meeting approved a plan to accelerate tech transformation. By 2027, the plan aims to increase R&D investment to 180 billion yuan, grow high-tech enterprises to over 28,000, and achieve 320 billion yuan in tech contracts.

Labs unite to tackle metabolic vascular diseases

This year, Sichuan and Chongqing recognized the first batch of co-built key laboratories, including the Metabolic Vascular Diseases Laboratory, jointly established by Southwest Medical University Hospital and Chongqing Medical University.

“Chongqing Medical University excels in clinical research, while Southwest Medical University Hospital specializes in basic research. Our shift from basic to clinical research requires clinical validation, and clinical findings need a mechanism for verification," said Dr. Jiang Zongzhe, Professor of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University (Tianfu Affiliated Hospital).

Dr. Jiang Zongzhe, Professor of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University (Tianfu Affiliated Hospital). (Photo/ Vivian Yan)

Dr. Jiang introduced the Sichuan-Chongqing key lab for metabolic vascular diseases. These include non-coding RNA regulation of metabolic vascular diseases and clinical translation, early diagnosis and prevention of diabetic nephropathy based on immune-inflammatory signals, precision classification and targeted treatment of primary aldosteronism using nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, and diabetes peripheral vascular and foot disease prevention system combining medicine and engineering.

Jiang added that the cross-provincial collaboration between Chengdu and Chongqing laboratories combines their strength. The collaboration aims to enhance the study and clinical application of metabolic vascular diseases and ultimately reduce their impact.

In early 2023, their research findings were published in a prestigious international medical journal, JAMA's sub-journal, establishing the diagnostic effectiveness and criteria for 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT in diagnosing primary aldosteronism.