As well as China’s well-known economic growth zones in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and Circum-Bohai areas, there is a another emerging economic growth zone supporting the development of the Southwest part of the country, involving its major provinces Sichuan and Chongqing.

Li Wuwei, vice chairman of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, pointed out during a forum on promoting the implementation of regional planning for the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Zone held in Neijiang, Sichuan province on November 5 that the central government is concentrating on the development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone, and has positioned it as the major economic core of Western China, a key modern industry base and a trial zone for deepening openness in inland China. He also confirmed recent achievements of development in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone.

With the economic integration of the Chengdu-Chongqing area as a key driver, Sichuan and Chongqing in recent years have worked to guide the economic zone through cooperation over the division of labor, building an urban agglomeration and city growth zone, and reaching a consensus on major issues related to the building of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River ecological barrier, said Lin Ling, a professor from Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences.

In fact, Chengdu and Chongqing in recent years have begun gradually breaking down “separation” and administrative barriers between the two areas that include infrastructure construction and industrial layout. The market system for docking and consolidation has been strengthened and, in particular, the two regions have become increasingly active in mutual investment, so that degree of economic fusion between Chengdu-Chongqing is further improved.

Experts on regional economy said during the forum that the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone aims to accelerate economic integration and act as growth poles to build areas of Western China. The economic zone will ready Chongqing and Sichuan for the next step, which should be to implement regional planning as the starting point, focus on promoting co-ordination for comprehensive reform in urban and rural areas, ensure barrier-free circulation of elements for major channels, establish social security and public services, create a docking platform for the promotion of mechanisms for the transfer of the rural labor force, establish a cross-administrative policy system and cross-administrative regions of the control system.

It is understood that planning for the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone includes Chongqing's 'one-hour economic circle', Wanzhou, Kaixian, Yunyang, and 31 other districts and counties, as well as contains 15 prefectures and cities in Sichuan province including Chengdu, Neijiang, Deyang, Mianyang, Meishan, Ziyang, and Leshan.

The Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Zone regional planning was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission in late 2010.