CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Wednesday, July 31, 2019 | 7 years onYEARS ON CHONGQING Editor's Note: As the People’s Republic of China prepares to celebrate its 70th anniversary on Oct 1, China Daily is featuring a series of stories on the role regions have played in the country’s development and where they are today. Finding what’s best to lead nation’s west Municipality seeks solutions to lift lessdeveloped areas out of poverty By TAN YINGZI in Chongqing
[email protected] Until three years ago, Meng Min could barely have imagined return ing home to Chongqing to start up a company. The former chief scientist at Covance, one of the world’s larg est drug development companies, had studied and worked in the Unit ed States for 24 years. But attracted by China’s fast growing pharmaceutical industry and favorable local policies, Meng returned to her hometown in 2016 and started her own bioanalytical laboratory, Chongqing Denali Med pharma, in the city’s development zone. “Chongqing is the youngest municipality in China. You can reach your goals here if you have sol id knowledge and skills,” she said. Back in 1980s when Meng was a high school student, Chongqing, on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, was just another polluted industrial city known for its large motor and vehicle manufacturing An aerial view of cars parked at Guoyuan Port in Chongqing, waiting to be transported to other parts of the country along the Yangtze River. WANG QUANCHAO / XINHUA industry. She and other ambitious young people in the inland city usu ally chose to pursue their dreams in Area: 82,402 square kilometers Annual per capita disposable In the north, it links the China yuan to set up Chongqing OneSpace major cities, such as Beijing and income of urban residents Europe freight trains, launched Technology Company, enough capi Shanghai, or go abroad.