重慶：中國西部唯一直轄市

重慶，位于長江、嘉陵江交匯處，是中國西南地區的工商業重鎮，也是中國西部唯一的中央直轄市、長江上游地區經濟中心。她是懸掛于聯合國大廳的世界地圖上僅有標注的中國四大城市之一。

重慶是一座具有悠久歷史的文化名城。公元前11世紀，巴國在此建都。公元1189年，宋光宗在此先封王后登帝位，自詡“雙重喜慶”，重慶由此得名。抗日戰爭時期，重慶為國民政府戰時陪都。

中華人民共和國成立后，重慶于1950年成為中央直轄市，1954年改為四川省轄市，1983年成為中央經濟計劃單列市。1997年3月，全國人大第八屆五次會議批準重慶設立為中央直轄市。

重慶幅員面積8.24萬平方公里,戶籍人口3375萬人，共轄38個區縣（自治縣）。

樞紐重慶

重慶地處中國中部和西部地區的結合部，鐵路、水路、公路、航空、管道運輸等發展很快，是中國西部地區唯一匯集水、陸、空交通資源的樞紐型特大城市。

近年來，重慶圍繞內陸開放高地建設，在構建開放通道、發展外向型產業集群、提升通關便利化水平等方面取得積極進展，鐵水空樞紐、口岸和保稅區“三個三合一”口岸經濟發展初具規模，內陸開放高地建設有序推進、成效顯著，空間和潛力巨大。

重慶擁有得天獨厚的黃金水道——長江。三峽工程竣工后，萬噸級輪船可直達重慶港。重慶寸灘國際集裝箱港是目前國內內陸航運最大港口。重慶港口年貨物通過能力達1.45億噸，其中集裝箱通過能力300萬標箱，基本建成長江上游航遠中心。

現在，重慶國際航線總數達到40余條，國內航線130余條。重慶江北國際機場年進出港客流量已近三千萬人次，貨郵吞吐量近30萬噸。通航城市達120個，其中國內88個，國際和地區32個。重慶是中國十大民用機場之一。去年，重慶江北國際機場客流增長量全國第一。重慶機場已跨入國際大型機場的行列，在全球2萬多個機場中跨入前100名。

重慶還是絲綢之路大動脈——“渝新歐”國際鐵路的起點。這條鐵路由沿途六個國家鐵路、海關部門共同協調建立，實行“一處關檢，全程通行”。重慶到歐洲杜伊斯堡全程運行時間為14天左右，比海運節省30多天，比空運便宜4/5。全程GPS定位系統跟蹤。

產業重慶

舉世矚目的三峽工程建設和庫區移民開發，為重慶發展注入了新的活力；中央直轄市的設立，開辟了重慶發展的新天地；西部大開發戰略的實施，揭開了重慶加快發展的新篇章；內陸開放高地的建設，讓重慶絢麗登上世界舞臺。

重慶直轄后，全市工業、商貿業、金融業、交通運輸業、電信業等快速發展，對外開放邁出實質性步伐。目前，重慶是中國最大的“汽車之都”。電子信息產業正成為重慶工業增長第一驅動力。

重慶亦是中國西部重要的金融中心和通信樞紐。

重慶正做大做強集成電路、液晶面板、物聯網、機器人、石墨烯和納米新材料、新能源及智能汽車、頁巖氣、MDI一體化、生物醫藥、環保裝備等十大戰略性新興產業。

開放重慶

如今的重慶正大力建設內陸開放高地，對外開放呈全方位、多層次、寬領域狀態。目前，重慶已與174個國家和地區建立了經濟貿易合作關系，世界500強企業中有一半落戶重慶。2014年，重慶市實際利用外資106億美元，進出口總額達955億美元，增速位居全國前列。

隨著“渝新歐”國際鐵路聯運大通道正式成型，成為橫跨歐亞大陸和新絲綢之路經濟帶的“大動脈”，重慶有效打破內陸開放物流瓶頸，一舉成為中國對外開放的橋頭堡。

目前，重慶正結合“五大功能區域”建設要求進行改革創新，加快培育跨境貿易電子商務等外經貿競爭新優勢，積極探索建立與國際投資貿易規則一致的管理體系，推進貿易、投資、金融、稅收等創新和政策試點，不斷完善開放型經濟政策體系。

開放重慶，正致力打造中國中西部的領事高地。近年來，外國政府來渝設立領事館數量猛增，這進一步推動了重慶與世界各國在商貿、教育、文化、旅游、海外投資等領域的合作。目前，相繼已有加拿大、英國、柬埔寨、日本、丹麥、菲律賓、匈牙利、埃塞俄比亞、荷蘭、意大利等10國政府來渝設立領事機構，領館數量躍居中西部省市前列，這為把重慶建成中西部地區領事高地創造了有利條件。重慶輻射帶動西部地區的戰略地位進一步顯現。

此外，香港特區政府也在重慶設立了聯絡處。重慶是中國五大外國新聞機構常駐城市之一，也是中西部地區唯一的境外媒體駐站城市，目前已有包括新加坡聯合早報、日本經濟新聞社等7家境外媒體在重慶設站。

從1982年重慶與法國圖盧茲市締結第一對友好城市開始，經過30多年孜孜不倦的努力，重慶已擁有34對國際友好城市、50余對國際友好交流城市。重慶借助這些涉外機構的“紐帶”與“橋梁”作用，將全面助推重慶與國外的經濟合作，助推重慶對外開放。

今天的重慶彰顯出新的國際大都市的無窮魅力，正張開寬廣的懷抱迎接四方賓朋。

Chongqing: the Only Municipality in Western China

Chongqing,located at the intersection between Yangtze River and Jialing River,is a key city of commerce and industry in the southwest China,the only municipality directly under the central government,and the economic center in the upper reaches of Yangtze River,as well as one of the only four cities in China on the map of the world hung in the hall of the United Nations.

Chongqing is a well-known cultural city with rich history.In the eleventh century B.C,the State of Ba was established here.It received its current name in 1189,after Prince Zhao Dun of the Southern Song Dynasty described his crowning as king and then Emperor Guangzong as a "double celebration".During the Anti - Japanese War,it became the war-time capital of China.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China,Chongqing became a municipality directly under the central government in 1950,a city under the government of Sichuan Province in 1954 and then was listed in the State budget with the authority in the management of economic affairs of the provincial level in 1983.In March 1997,Chongqing became a municipality directly under the central government,when a bill was approved at the Fifth Session of the Eighth National People's Congress.

Chongqing,with an area of 82,400 km2,has a population of 33.75 million and 38 districts or counties (autonomous counties).

Transportation Hub

Connecting Central and western China,Chongqing enjoys rapid development in railway,waterway,highway,aviation,and pipeline transportation.In western China,it is the only megacity converging water,land and air transportation resources.

In the recent years,Chongqing,focusing on building an inland opening-up highland,has made great progress in channel opening,export-oriented industrial clusters,customs facilitation and so on.Its port economy integrating railwaywaterway-air hub,port and bonded area is taking shape.The construction of the inland opening-up highland,being orderly carried out,has seen remarkable achievements and still has great untapped potential.

Chongqing is blessed with a golden waterway - Yangtze River.After Three Gorges Project (TGP) is completed,10,000-ton ships can directly reach Chongqing Port.Chongqing Cuntan International Container Terminal is the biggest port for inland navigation in the country.Chongqing has an annual port handling capacity reaching 145 million tons,of which the throughput capacity of containers is 3 million TEU and has basically built a shipping centre on the upper reaches of the Yangtze.

People’s Great Hall of Chongqing Photoed by Wang Daixiang

Now,the number of international flight routes amounts to 40 and domestic flight routes more than 130.The inbound and outbound traffic of Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport has reached almost 30 million,cargo throughput near 300 thousand tons,and navigable cities 120,of which 88 are domestic ones and 32 are regional and international ones.Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport,as one of China’s top ten civil airports,ranks first nationwide in passenger volume growth,making it to top 100 among over 20,000 airports worldwide.

Chongqing is also the starting point of Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe International Railway (also named Yu Xin’Ou) which is honored as the modern “Silk Road”.This railway is jointly constructed by railway departments and customs of six countries along the route and there is just one customs inspection along the whole route between Chongqing and Central Asia.It takes just 14 days on average to transport goods from Chongqing to Duisburg,30 days fewer than by sea,and cheaper by 4/5 than air transportation.GPS is available throughout the journey.

Industries

The remarkable TGP and relocation of people from reservoir area have injected new vitality to Chongqing;being municipality directly under the central government opens up new possibilities;the strategy of the Western Development Strategy opens a new chapter for its rapid development;the construction of inland opening-up highland enables Chongqing stride onto the world stage.

After becoming a municipality directly under the central government,Chongqing’s industry,commerce,financial industry,transportation industry and telecommunications industry have enjoyed rapid development.Opening-up has seen substantial progress.At present,Chongqing is known as the biggest “automobile capital”of China.Electronic information industry is becoming the first driving force for Chongqing’s industrial growth.

Chongqing is also the financial center and communication center of western China.

Chongqing is also enlarging and strengthening ten strategic emerging industries,including IC,LCD panel,Internet of Things,robot,grapheme and new nanometer,new energy and smart car,shale gas,MDI integration,biological medicine and environmental protection equipment.

Opening-up

Today,Chongqing is making every effort to build an inland opening-up highland.An all-dimensional,multi-layered and wide-ranging opening pattern is taking shape.

Currently,Chongqing has established economic and trade cooperation ties with 174 countries and regions.Half of Fortune 500 has settled in Chongqing.In 2014,its foreign investment in actual use registered 10.6 billion dollars and total volume of foreign trade 95.5 billion dollars,taking the national leading position.

As Yu Xin'Ou Railway,the main artery crossing Eurasia and the new silk road economic belt,is shaping up,Chongqing moves logistics obstacles for inland opening up to become the bridgehead of opening-up.

At present,Chongqing,combining the construction requirements of “Five Functional Areas”,is carrying out reform and innovation,accelerating developing new competitive advantages of such foreign trades as e-commerce of crossborder ones,establishing the management system consistent with international investment ＆ trade rules,promoting innovative and policy pilot projects of trade,investment,finance,tax and the like and improving the open economy policy system.

The opening Chongqing is engaged in becoming the highland for consulates in middle and western China.In recent years,more and more countries have set up consulates in Chongqing,further promoting the cooperation on commerce,trade,education,culture,tourism,foreign investment and the like between Chongqing and various countries.So far,10 countries have set up consulates in Chongqing,including Canada,the United Kingdom,Cambodia,Japan,Denmark,Philippines,Hungary,Ethiopia,Netherlands and Italy.As a result,Chongqing is now No.1 for consulates in middle and western provinces,thus becoming the third city for consulates in China.This is an advantage to turn Chongqing into the highland for consulates in middle and western China.In addition,Chongqing’s strategic position becomes more visible in radiating and leading the western China.

Moreover,the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has set up a liaison office in Chongqing.Chongqing is one of Chinese cities where five famous foreign news agencies are permanently stationed and also the only one in middle and western China where foreign media are stationed.So far,7 foreign media have set up offices in Chongqing,including Lianhe Zaobao of Singapore,NIKKEI of Japan,etc.

Since the conclusion of the first pair of sister cities between Chongqing and Toulouse,France in 1982,Chongqing has now established sister-city relationships with 33 foreign cities and friendly-exchange relationships with over 50 foreign cities all over the world after more than thirty –year efforts.With the help of the functions of “link”and “bridge”with these foreign institutions,Chongqing will roundly promote its economic cooperation with foreign countries,as well as its opening to the world.

The Chongqing today is highlighting its boundless charm as a new international metropolis and welcoming friends all across the world.