World Winning Cities Profiles, April 2007 CHONGQING April 2007 Emerging City Winners Profiles: China Chongqing is one of mainland China’s four municipalities, with a population of 28 million. Chongqing Chongqing has become a hot spot for foreign investment following the “Go West” policy launched in 2001. The emphasis of central government’s 11th 5 Year Plan on the Chengdu-Chongqing axes has further enhanced the city’s unique position. The city’s large supply of low-cost labour and its strategic location in the western region will underpin Chongqing’s future development. We believe Chongqing’s role as a key city in China’s modernization process should and will not be underestimated. World Winning Cities Profiles, April 2007 CHONGQING CITY SUMMARY Chongqing, the ‘mountain city’, is located at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its major tributary, the Jialing River. Having served as the main commercial and transportation centre for Sichuan province for centuries, Chongqing was granted national status as a municipal region in 1997. It is now one of China’s four municipalities, together with Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. The Three Gorges Dam project, launched in 1992 with a total investment of USD 26 billion, has been the main driver for extensive city re-generation. Over the course of the 18 year project, 1.3 million people will have been displaced and many ECONOMIC DASHBOARD old neighbourhoods will have been demolished. The motorcycle industry is another strong point for Chongqing. Population (million 2005) 28 Its 26% share of national output has made it one of the top three motorcycle production bases in China, followed by Guangdong Size GDP (USD billion 2005) 38.4 province with a 22% market share and Zhejiang province with Employment (million 2005) 17 10%. Five of mainland China’s top six motorcycle companies are based in Chongqing. Population (% pa 2000–2005) (1.3) The outstanding performance of the automotive industry and Growth Chongqing’s solid industrial background has caught the eye of GDP (% pa 2000–2005) 14 numerous foreign investors. Its special political status has, on Air Passengers (‘000 2005) 5,233 the other hand, acted as a catalyst for Chongqing’s real estate market. Many Hong Kong developers entered the market after Freight Traffic (million tons 2005) 392 1997, once Chongqing had obtained its municipal status. Infrastructure We believe that Chongqing will be a key city in China’s FDI (USD billion 2005) 0.5 modernization process provided that it continues to strengthen its automotive industry while simultaneously putting more effort Exports (USD billion 2005) 2.5 Openness into value-added and tertiary industries. GDP/Capita (USD 2005) 1,372 Wealth Disposable Income /Capita (USD 1,281 2005) Higher Education Institutions (2005) 35 Total Enrolments (’000s 2005) 358 Unemployment (% 2005) 4.1 and Labour Education Average Wage Rates (USD 2005) 2,079 Business Environment (Score) A Business Lifestyle Quality of Life (Rank) 1* * Please refer to Definition of Terms 1 World Winning Cities Profiles, April 2007 CHONGQING DEMOGRAPHICS Dam project launched in 19984 are important drivers of Chongqing’s economic growth. Chongqing has been touted as the world’s largest city due to the 31 GDP growth increased rapidly until 2004. However, although it million people1 under its jurisdiction. has exceeded China’s average growth rate since 1998, the However, more than four-fifths of the growth rate still lags behind that of Chengdu by almost 200 population live in rural areas with the basis points. city proper having a population of This phenomenon is mainly attributable to the structure of around 5 million. industry in Chongqing, with heavy industry such as chemicals, The city has witnessed three periods of strong immigration since steel and aluminium as the major drivers of the overall economy. the Yuan Dynasty and these have made Chongqing a vibrant High value-added sectors such as the high-tech industry only city. Most of the immigrants came from coastal cities as part of accounted for 7% of total industrial output in 2005, which is even Chongqing’s city development plan under Mao2. lower than the average level for mainland China (at 11.3%). However, Chongqing has suffered from an overall net decrease The relatively slow GDP growth rate and the large portion of in the population, attributable to slow economic development poor residents have constrained wealth creation in Chongqing. and the Three Gorges Dam project. In 2005, the number of Although GDP ranked first among 9 major secondary cities in emigrants reached 3.88 million, an almost 50% increase on the western China in 2005, GDP/capita barely met the average level number in 2000. The majority of emigrants (52.4%) headed to of that area. east China, compared to 11.4% to west China and only 3.9% to GDP Growth Rate Comparison 2005 (%) central China. 15 Chengdu The high emigration should not have too big an impact on 14 13 labour-intensive companies given that the population profile is 12 Chongqing relatively young and the population base is large. Indeed, 68% 11 10 of the overall population is between the ages 15-64, the same 9 China Average proportion as in Shanghai. This gives Chongqing a considerable 8 edge when competing for labour intensive industries. 7 6 5 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 ECONOMIC BACKGROUND As one of the first inland cities to open its doors to foreign Source: Chongqing, Chengdu, China Statistics Yearbook 1998-2005 investors, Chongqing has enjoyed active trading with the outside world since 1891. Chongqing’s unique geographic location also GDP Comparisons, 2005 - Major Cities in West China accounts for its emergence as a key city in China’s revolutionary US$ billions process. Chongqing was the seat of the KMT3 between 1937 38.4 40 and 1946 and, today, is the only municipality in western China. 29.6 The special political status of the city and the Three Gorges 30 20 15.9 9.0 7.1 7.1 6.6 10 2.6 2.9 0 1 31 million is the registered population, while 28 million is the total population. Xian 2 It was part of Mao’s policy that those educated in the cities should Xining Urumqi Lanzhou Nanning Guiyang Chengdu Yinchuan spend several years in a poor region of China in order to gain more Chongqing experience. 3 KMT refers to Kuomingtang, a centre-right political party in the 4 The second phase of Three Gorges Dam project (1998-2003) Republic of China, now in Taiwan. Also known as The Nationalist Party constituted the main progress of the project. Phase I (1992-1997) of China. involved mostly preparation work. 2 World Winning Cities Profiles, April 2007 CHONGQING GDP/Capita Comparisons, 2005 - Major Cities in West China Apart from the core CBD, Shapingba, which hosts most of the universities and colleges, has been conceived as a municipal US$ level educational and cultural centre, while Yangjiaping is to be 4000 3676 a municipal level sports centre. 3000 2591 2739 A totally new area, named the 2287 1991 1867 2000 Chongqing North New District (NND), 1238 1370 1372 has also been designed in the Yubei 1000 and Beipei districts. The municipal 0 government is moving some of the Xian government functions to the NND in Xining Urumqi Guiyang Nanning Lanzhou Chengdu Yinchuan order to support the development of Chongqing Source: Statistics Yearbook the new district. It occupies an area of 91.7 sq km and will have an estimated population of 650,000. Most of the NND area is split into two major industrial zones: the Chongqing Economic & URBAN PLANNING & INFRASTRUCTURE Technological Development Zone and the Chongqing Hi-tech Industry Development Zone. The government aims to build a new manufacturing base for Chongqing which is to reach an industrial output of USD 19 billion by 2010. Infrastructure Improvements Infrastructure improvements have been a major challenge for the municipal government. The poor infrastructure has become one of the main concerns of foreign investors and hinders wider city integration. Traffic congestion is a considerable problem given the numerous mountains, bridges and tunnels. The distinctive topography has also resulted in high construction costs, and has complicated the development process. Therefore, in order to improve its current infrastructure and drive Chongqing’s Chongqing’s city centre covers nine administrative districts, economic growth, USD 67 billion will be invested over the next 5 namely Yuzhong, Jiangbei, Shapingba, Jiulongpo, Dadukou, years (1.5 times the amount invested over the period 2000- Nan’an, Yubei, Banan and Beipei, and has an urban population 2005). of 5 million. Unlike most cities, Chongqing has five commercial centres, each with its own pedestrian street. This special layout Light Railway Construction is the result of difficult transportation because of the A total of nine light railways have been proposed as part of the mountainous topography. Out of the five business centres, Chongqing municipal government’s 11th Five Year Plan. Three Jiefangbei in the Yuzhong District is the most prominent and of these lines are already under construction and are due to be hosts a large part of the Grade-A offices, high-end retail space completed by 2013. All three lines will pass through Jiefangbei, and five-star hotels. which will effectively consolidate its traditional business area as A CBD has been designed to include the three most prestigious a core place in Chongqing. This will also facilitate market areas: Jiefangbei, Jiangbeizui and Danzishi. It will cover a total integration between different areas. According to the plan, by area of 5-6 sq km with the core area occupying 4 sq km. 2013 the transport capacity of the 3 light railways will reach Jiefangbei will continue to be the most dynamic commercial 575,000 people per day, accounting for 23% of the total urban area and will serve the whole city.