Chengdu Tianfu International Airport Photo: courtesy of Management Committee of Chengdu Eastern New Area

The CCID recently released the list of "Top 100 New Urban Areas with Development Potential (2022)." The list evaluated new areas at and below the provincial level based on the indicator system that incorporates new industries, new technology, new business types, new space, and new models. Chengdu Eastern New Area has defended the first rank among peers.

"Chengdu Eastern New Area stands out in terms of new industries and new space in the indicator system," according to Zhang Xiaoxiao, Deputy Director of the CCID Consulting Center for Urban Economy Research.  Zhang articulated that Chengdu Eastern New Area is outstanding because of its strategic location, "in the core city of the national strategy for the building of Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, playing the role in 'connecting with the main urban area and Elevating the surrounding areas,' to enable the city to integrate into broader regional development at a faster pace."

In terms of new industries, Chengdu Eastern New Area has become an important vehicle and strategic extension area for Chengdu's advanced manufacturing industry, and has a great bearing capacity for industries. With the release of the potential of Tianfu International Airport, acting as a pillar of the airport economy, and based on advanced manufacturing, Chengdu Eastern New Area will focus on the development of the core airport industry, the innovative development of advanced manufacturing, and the integrated development of the extension industries, and build a high-quality modern industrial system with distinctive features, development framework, and coordinated layout.

In terms of new space, Chengdu Eastern New Area is a new front for Chengdu to integrate into the national strategy and reshape its economic geography, and has played a prominent role in completing the urban structure, stimulating the vitality for urban development, and promoting the upgrade of the city.

Intelligent Manufacturing C-Cube Science and Technology Innovation Space of Chengdu Eastern New Area  Photo: courtesy of Management Committee of Chengdu Eastern New Area

Since its establishment in 2020, Chengdu Eastern New Area has seized great strategic and historical opportunities such as the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle and the operation of Tianfu International Airport. It has made breakthroughs in the fields of industrial development and public services, to shift from infrastructure investment attracting to industrial development as its driving force, and to change its appearance to fit the new city. According to statistics, Chengdu Eastern New Area ranked fifth in the city from January to September this year in terms of GDP growth rate, introduced 95 major industrial projects with a total investment of about 285 billion yuan ($40.93 billion), and jumped to No. 1 in the city in terms of growth rate of industrial investment.

"Chengdu Eastern New Area is the only urban area to remain in the top three on the list from 2021. It is indeed rare," Zhang said, based on the statistics, Zhang proposed that Chengdu Eastern New Area should form a "chain" pattern as soon as possible, constantly improve technology, capital, talent and other elements, base its industrial development concept on scientific and technological innovation, strengthening cooperation with Chengdu's key research institutes, creating a vehicle for the transfer and transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and continue to inject momentum into the city's high-quality development.