Transport network drives local economy

Relying on its geographical advantages and open business environment, Nanchong in Sichuan province is aiming to promote economic cooperation with the outside world under China's Belt and Road Initiative, according to local officials.

Situated along the middle reaches of the Jialing River and the heart of the economic belt of Chengdu, Chongqing and Xi'an, Nanchong has a unique location that makes the city a vital transport center in western China. It has formed an advanced transport system of roads, railways, air routes and waterways.

To date, nearly 20 air routes have been opened in Gaoping Airport, and the construction of Langzhong Airport will begin at the end of 2019.

When completed, it will further enhance Nanchong's connections with other cities across the country.

The Dazhou-Chengdu and Lanzhou-Chongqing railways intersect in the city. Through Nanchong Port, a thousand-ton vessel can reach Shanghai directly.

Last year, Nanchong attracted 269 projects with a combined investment of up to 219.27 billion yuan ($31.43 billion), 130 of which are worth more than 500 million yuan.

One key project in the city is the Yingshan Yuankang Plush Toys Industrial Park, whose founder comes from Nanchong and started his career more than 10 years ago in Guangdong.In 2018, the founder returned to his hometown determined to start a branch in Yingshan, a county of Nanchong.

Li Kuiju, general manager of the Yuankang Yingshan branch, said: "Dramatic changes have taken place in Nanchong over the years, with the newly formed company benefiting a lot from the high-level infrastructure".

From the beginning of 2019, Yuankang's goods began to be shipped to Russia and Italy through the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway, a logistics network linking China's Chongqing and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region with Central Asian and European countries.

"The opening of the railway has improved the efficiency of transport and production costs are also reduced," he added. The city has set a target to increase its total trade value of imports and exports to 3.5 billion yuan by the end of 2023.

In the next few years, Nanchong will continue to upgrade the transportation network and strengthen connections with surrounding areas.

The construction of the Hanzhong-Bazhong-Nanchong Railway and high-grade channels of Jialing River is proceeding as planned. Additionally, progress is being made on streamlining administrative procedures and furtherimproving the business climate.

In terms of "going global", the city government is sparing no efforts to build a bonded logistics center and an international freight station of the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway in Gaoping district of Nanchong.

"When the application and construction is completed, Nanchong's characteristic products such as silk and organic vegetables can be exported to countries along the Belt and Road directly from Gaoping, leading to a further drop in cost for enterprises, " said Zhou Jianmei, the manager of the new logistics park.

(China Daily 09/17/2019 page25)