Chengdu, a megacity in the western China, is integrating into the global economy more rapidly as it becomes the fourth largest airport hub in China, attracting 265 Top 500 companies and having the largest railway cargo handling capacity in western China. It heralds China’s Go to West develeopment strategy.The city’s work report in 2015 shows, Chengdu was more open to the outside world in 2015, registering in 2014 55.7 billion U.S. dollars in terms of import and export, a 10 percent increase. A total of 420 projects have been contracted, including an expanded Intel factory, a high-speed rail equipment industry park, and a massive tourist center. The trade volume in Chengdu high-tech bonded area ranked third in China, first in western China. Those figures demonstrate Chengdu’s advantages as a megacity in western China. It owes to Chengdu’s deeper opening-up in sectors like transport, logistics, culture and administrative services.
Chengdu is an inland city, not along the river and not a coastal one. Transport is the priority for Chengdu’s outbound economy. In April 2013, Chengdu-Europe rail started operation. In July 2014, the first freight train left for the Central Asia. The two railways heralded Chengdu’s Go-West strategy, linking China’s southwestern hinterland with Europe and the Central Asian areas.
On June 9, 2014, the United Airlines began direct flights from Chengdu to San Francisco, making Chengdu the first city in central and western China with a direct airline to the United States. Its average load factor has exceeded 90 percent till now. Currently, Chengdu’s airport has over 80 freighter and passenger flights, and its annual passenger traffic totaled 37.2 million. Chengdu is the fourth largest airline hub after Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. In January 2015, the State Council approved the building of the second airport in Chengdu. Chengdu will become one of the three cities in China that have two airports.
While the transport is the hard strength, political and cultural exchanges shows Chengdu’s soft power. In 2014, Chengdu hosted China-Germany Dialogue Forum. More international dignitaries visited the city. Israel’s Consulate-general in Chengdu and New Zealand’s Consulate-general in Chengdu have been started, making the total consulate-generals in Chengdu 13. Chengdu has 61 international friendly cities and cities with friendly cooperation. It organized London’s Chengdu Week 2014 and Triathlon World Cup among other events. The city’s influences keep strengthening.
Tang Liangzhi, the city mayor, said in his work report in 2015, Chengdu will build more friendly investment environment to tap its new potential of opening up to the outside world, and bring more Chengdu’s products and services to the world.
