Finding what's best to lead nation's west

Municipality seeks solutions to lift less-developed areas out of poverty

Editor's Note: As the People's Republic of China prepares to celebrate its 70th anniversary on Oct 1, China Daily is featuring a series of stories on the role regions have played in the country's development and where they are today.

Until three years ago, Meng Min could barely have imagined returning home to Chongqing to start up a company. The former chief scientist at Covance, one of the world's largest drug development companies, had studied and worked in the United States for 24 years.

But attracted by China's fastgrowing pharmaceutical industry and favorable local policies, Meng returned to her hometown in 2016 and started her own bio-analytical laboratory, Chongqing Denali Medpharma, in the city's development zone.

"Chongqing is the youngest municipality in China. You can reach your goals here if you have solid knowledge and skills," she said.

Back in 1980s when Meng was a high school student, Chongqing, on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, was just another polluted industrial city known for its large motor and vehicle manufacturing industry. She and other ambitious young people in the inland city usually chose to pursue their dreams in major cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, or go abroad.

But now, more highly talented people like Meng are moving to Chongqing, recognized as an open, prosperous and attractive place to work and live.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Chongqing has played several important roles in the country's development, from a major industrial base to a national defense manufacturing area in the 1960s.

In 1997, it became China's fourth municipality after Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. Covering 82,402 square kilometers, it's by far the largest of the four, even bigger in area than the Republic of Ireland or the Czech Republic.

Since 1999, the metropolis in Southwest China has become a leader in the country's development program for the western regions which lag behind the affluent eastern coastal areas.

In 2010, China's third national development zone, the Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, was established after the Shanghai Pudong and Tianjin Binhai new areas. Since then, it has explored new approaches for inland reform and opening-up.

During his inspection trip to Chongqing in 2016, President Xi Jinping said the municipality was "full of promise" and would become an inland international logistics hub.

In April, Xi visited Chongqing again and said that the city should strive for new achievements and breakthroughs under the drive to develop the west of the country in the new era.

He stressed that Chongqing should promote high-quality development in manufacturing and lead the opening-up of the entire western region.