What exactly is “an open regional center and international city”? What does it mean and what’s so important about it and what’s the significance of Chengdu, to Sichuan province, western China, or the whole country, if it becomes an open regional center and international city?

These were some of the questions were posted for Li Houqiang, the Sichuan Social Sciences Academy Party secretary by the Chengdu Business Daily at a meeting on Feb 9, 2012. Li believes that Chengdu has all the advantages needed to develop into an open regional center and an international city but that it needs to emancipate its mind and thinking and develop a new perspective to reach that goal.

Here are some of the reasons why:

BD: What do you think of the idea of “an open regional center and international city”?

L: First of all it’s an accurate description of Chengdu, which has always been an area of opening-up for China Both the Northern and Southern Silk Roads ran through it. But, practically speaking, in order to “lead development”, Chengdu has to open up, get past its limitations, and attract quality resources from all over the world.

Scientifically speaking, it needs to open up for vitality because it’s only in this way that it can make full use of its comparative advantages.

It especially needs to use the international community as a reference point to become an international city.

BD: What cities do you think are open regional centers and international cities and how does a city get there?

L: Well, it’s an area without any administrative barriers and it can be the integration of several areas, cities or provinces. But, first it needs to reform itself and open up with a sense of innovation. Chengdu, as a core of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Zone, should play a major role in regional cooperation through the increased, coordinated development of Sichuan province.

Chengdu should emphasize the idea of “developing through industry” and should increase its competence through top industries. It needs to pay special attention to large multinationals and international organizations to reinforce its status internationally. The Tianfu New District, which is under construction, is a sign of its becoming a regional center and an international city.

It should pool the wisdom and resources of the world to make the District a window on inland China and a sign of opening up to the world.

BD: Chengdu also has a strategy of “Building new towns and making optimal use of old ones” and the idea of building an industrial Chengdu. Why this goal?

L: I think a lot of the strategy, especially mentioned by Chengdu among the “five city development strategies”. Chengdu is a large city and the strategy could help it avoid some of the problems that bigger cities face. People need to be more open to the wisdom and resources from around the globe in helping build Chengdu.

BD: What significance could it have as an open regional center and international city?

L: I can say that it is very significant, not just to Chengdu, but to Sichuan, western China, and all of China as well, even the rest of the world to some degree. This is determined by its special position.

Chengdu leads in economic aggregate and population and as a leader can play an important role in Sichuan’s development. It will also drive the development of other cities and prefectures if it becomes a regional center and international city. This is an important mission. It is also a core of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Zone, whose development depends on that of the whole western region and that of the country in speed and quality.

It is easy to imagine a Chengdu that produces a “butterfly effect” and plays a demonstrative, guiding, and driving role, a benchmark, when it becomes a regional center and international city.