Sichuan Economy and Trade Trends

Monthly, May 2017

Published by CCPIT Sichuan Council

Contents

Macro Economy

Provincial Industry Development Investment Guiding Fund Exceeding RMB 100 billion

On April 26, the city/prefecture activities of Sichuan Provincial Industry Development Investment Guiding Fund were launched in Yibin with on-site matchmaking with local enterprises. Since the establishment of Sichuan's first batch of industry development guiding funds in 2015, by initiation and participation of shares, the provincial finance department has made a financial contribution of EMB 12.92 billion to the establishment of 20 industry development guiding funds, making the funds' total size reaching RMB 103.6 billion. Currently there are 77 projects with investment decision and signed agreements accomplished by the provincial industry development guiding fund. Amount of investment and proposed investment of RMB 12.593 billion has been mainly put into integrated circuit, health & medicine, culture & tourism, infrastructure and other key industries identified by the provincial Party committee and the provincial government. Meanwhile the quantity of projects being tracked reaches 1,300, with total investment demand exceeding RMB 128 billion. This year, the provincial department of finance shall launch the city/prefecture activities of Sichuan Provincial Industry Development Investment Guiding Fund in some cities/prefectures, so as to build the information communication and exchange platform for the fund and projects, establish a two-way docking normalization mechanism for the fund and projects and alleviate funding shortfalls during implementation of local major projects. During this event, 4 projects of Yibin Grace Group Company involving new materials, fine chemicals and other fields have received equity investment from the fund. The provincial department of finance shall continue to improve the fund management mechanism in terms of accelerating project investment, standardizing fund establishment, optimizing operation and perfecting the supporting system, so as to achieve equal participation, mutual beneficial cooperation and all-win situation of the fund, the industry and the government. (May 1, Sichuan Daily/Chen Yan, Huang Dahai)

Sichuan Laying out Its TCM Massive Health Industry to Strive for RMB 20 Billion Output by 2020
 Recently Sichuan issued the 13th Five-year Plan of TCM Massive Health Industry in Sichuan Province, proposing that in order to meet the increasing public demands for health care, Sichuan shall be built into a domestic first-class, internationally renowned modern TCM health industry strong province. By 2020, Sichuan will strive to realize a TCM materials output value of RMB 20 billion and main business revenues of TCM industry and health derivatives manufacturing shall reach RMB 180 billion, ranking No.2 in the country. (May 10, Sichuan Daily/Shi Xiaohong)

Foreign Trade

Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen's First Visit toChinaand Sichuan

On May 2, Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen attended the 2017 Denmark Tourism Promotion held in Chengdu. It was Rasmussen's first visit toChinasince he was elected prime minister in 2015. Rasmussen is also the first Danish Prime Minister visitingChina's western province.
 This February, China-Denmark Tourism Year was launched in Beijing andDenmarkbecomes the first EU country to hold the tourism year withChina. "We expect to see more Danish Day activities and the China Day activities in CopenhagenDenmarkthis September". Rasmussen said there would be a series matchmaking sessions betweenChinaandDenmark.
 In his visit itinerary in Sichuan, Rasmussen visited 4 Danish retail stores in Chengdu Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li, and asked about their development in Sichuan. He made a special mention of the Danish Fortune Global 500 companies Maersk and Carlsberg. "Danish enterprises have created 250,000 jobs inChina. In addition to retailing, we also expect to carry out all-round cooperation with Chinese provinces including Sichuan in fields such as eduction and environmental protection." Rasmussen said a package of cooperation agreements would be signed during his visit toChina. (May 3, Sichuan Daily/Yuan Jing and Liuxing)

"The 3rd City of Consulates" Continues Expansion

Since 2013,Australia,New Zealand,Israel,Poland, Czech andSwitzerlandhave set up consulates in Chengdu successively. Currently there are 16 consulates in Sichuan, including 9 consulates of countries along the "Belt and Road". The number is expected to increase this year.
 Throughout the process of foreign consular organizations' entry into Sichuan, the U.S. Consulates once was the only consulates in Sichuan in almost 20 years. Following the establishment of the German consulate in 2004,Korea,Thailand,France,SingaporeandPakistansuccessively set up their consulates in Chengdu. With the acceleration of Sichuan's opening-up to the world, every year there were 1 or 2 new foreign consulates entering into Sichuan since 2013. Why Sichuan has such an appeal to foreign consulates? As a major province of economy, population, resources and technology, the attraction of Sichuan is obvious.

In May 2013, the provincial Party committee and the provincial government issued the Opinions on Further Expanding and Deepening Opening-up and Cooperation. In July 2014, the provincial Party committee specifically issued the Eight Measure for Promoting Opening-up. The introduction of a series of open development ideas including "expanding opening-up is the inevitable course for Sichuan to advance the two leaps" has effectively boosted the construction of a strategic highland of an inland province opening to the world, and turned Sichuan from hinterland into open frontier. With the increasing quantity of consulates, Chengdu has further consolidated its position as the "3rd City of Consulates" in China’s hinterland. More importantly, as consular organizations in Sichuan have played a more and more positive role in promoting high-level exchanges, economic and trade cooperation, cultural communication and personnel exchanges, the "3rd City of Consulates" effect is magnified. (May 3, Sichuan Daily/Yuan Jing)

Thailand Style Week Opened in Chengdu

On May 5, the 5-day "2017 Chengdu Thailand Style Week" was opened. As the largest event in recent years, it has attracted nearly 60 exhibitors from over 30 provinces in Thailand, bringing about almost 200 commodities.
 The event was co-sponsored by Royal Thai Consulate-General Chengdu, Chengdu Municipal Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office and Qingyang district government. According to our reporter on the scene, featured commodities at the exhibition included flavoring sauce, dried fish, fresh fruit, fruit products and skin care products. Besides, there were events such as Thai dance and Muay Thai performances. Wang Shaochuan, assistant to the Consul-General, said that many exhibitors came to Chengdu for the first time and they hoped to further tap into the Chinese market through the event. Successively held since the establishment of Royal Thai Consulate-General Chengdu in 2005, "Chengdu Thailand Style Week" has become the brand project for the comprehensive exchanges and cooperation between Chengdu and Thailand. (May 7, Sichuan Daily/Zhang Tingming)

Business & Innovation Center for China-Europe Cooperation Inaugurated on May 10

On May 10, Business & Innovation Center for China-Europe Cooperation in Chengdu Hi-tech Zone will be officially inaugurated and the 2017 Global Business Incubation Summit shall be held simultaneously. According to Chengdu High-tech Investment Group Co., Ltd. on May 5, Business & Innovation Center for China-Europe Cooperation will strive to be a new window for the opening-up of the "Belt and Road Initiative" and the all-round cooperation between Western China and Europe.
 The construction of Business & Innovation Center for China-Europe Cooperation was started on April 2013. The Center has six functional areas, including China-Europe Technology Trading Center, European Commodity Display and Trading Center, European SMEs Incubation Center, European Corporate Headquarters Base Center, Service Center for European International Economic Development Promotion Agencies and One-stop Service Platform for Europe. The Center shall actively attract overseas economic and commercial institutions and business associations from European countries to settle in; attract Global Fortune 500 Companies to set up headquarters bases; attract domestic and foreign famous universities and enterprises to set up scientific research centers, technical centers, innovation centers and other applied research institutions; promote achievements exhibition and trading of Chinese and European frontier technologies. The Center shall be the permanent site of EU-China Business & Technology Cooperation Fair and the liaison base for the "Belt and Road" economies co-built by the city and province.
 Among the 5 major economic regions in Sichuan Province, the plain economic region of Chengdu has taken the responsibility of "building an open frontier in the western hinterland". Business & Innovation Center for China-Europe Cooperation is a proactive promoter for the opening-up of the plain economic region of Chengdu. At present, the whole plain economic region of Chengdu is striving for the continuous construction of opening channels & platforms and a higher level of development with greater integration of global resources, so as to give full play to the traction of the "locomotive". (May 8, Sichuan Daily/Ran Qianting)

Sichuan and Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand Have Become Sister Provinces

On May 8, Sichuan and Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand signed an agreement to formally become sister provinces. According to the agreement, the two sides shall carry out various forms of exchanges and cooperation in industry, agriculture, trade, technology, culture, education, sports, health, talents and social welfare to promote common prosperity and development. (May 10, Sichuan Daily/Hu Yanshu)

Chengdu Has 5 New Sister Cities

On May 10, as the host city, Chengdu ushered in delegations of over 60 international sister cities and international well-known cities. The delegations were invited for the Innovation Forum for Mayors of International Sister Cities of Chengdu at the 2017 Chengdu Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fair held on May 11.
 With the help of the Forum, Chengdu has become friendship cooperation cities with Bangkok in Thailand, County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown in Ireland, Central Province of Sri Lanka, Lvov City in Ukraine and Valencia in Spain. At present, the number of Chengdu's sister cities and friendship cooperation cities has risen to 82.
 In addition, as old friends of Chengdu, Horsens Kommune in Denmark, Sheffield in the UK, Montpellier in France and Gold Coast in Australia became the first 5 international sister cities to settle into the Chengdu "Belt and Road" Communication Center. Located in Chengdu High-tech Zone, Chengdu "Belt and Road" Communication Center aims to establish an information sharing and service mechanism between international cities to promote economic and trade exchanges, scientific and technological cooperation and cultural exchanges from a bilateral model to a multilateral one, and jointly build a global urban community with common idea of development, unimpeded elements, connected technology facilities and smooth innovation chain. (May 11, Sichuan Daily/Yuan Jing)

Sichuan and Lavalleja Province in Uruguay Signed Memorandum of Understanding

On May 12, Sichuan and Lavalleja Province in the Oriental Republic of Uruguay signed a memorandum of understanding on friendly cooperative relations in Chengdu. According the the agreement, the two sides will actively promote high-level exchanges between their governments, and strengthen cooperation in economy, trade, agriculture, animal husbandry, food processing, education and other areas of common interests. (May 13, Sichuan Daily/Hu Yanshu)

Sichuan's Import & Export Trade with Countries along the "Belt and Road" Multiplied in the First 4 Months

In the first 4 months, Sichuan's total value of imports & exports with countries along the "Belt and Road" reached RMB 33.08 billion, nearly doubled from a year ago; this value also accounted for 25.7% of Sichuan's total value of imports & exports during the same period, 5.7 percentage points higher than same time last year. Simultaneously, Sichuan's exports to countries and regions along the "Belt and Road" reached RMB 23.62 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 110%; the corresponding imports reached RMB 9.46 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 70.6%.
 As the market economy of countries and regions along the "Belt and Road" is getting better along with evident increasing demand and consumption upgrading, Sichuan's exports of dominant products has increased significantly. In the first 4 months, Sichuan's imports & exports with ASEAN has increased by 1.5 times, accounting for 67% of Sichuan's total value of imports & exports with countries and regions along the "Belt and Road" during the same period; imports & exports with counties such as Israel, Egypt, Romania and Iraq realized multiplied growth. As countries and regions along the "Belt and Road" were the main fronts for Sichuan's foreign contracted projects, in the first 4 months, the export cargo for foreign contracting projects reached RMB 1.18 billion during the same period, increasing by 1.2 folds. Sichuan's leading enterprises have continued to make efforts to integrate global resources. With its packaging and testing plant for integrated circuit in Malaysia, Intel Horse Project was put into production in the second half of last year, expanding imports & exports scale of integrated circuit between Sichuan and Malaysia steadily. In the first 4 months, integrated circuit imports of Intel and other enterprises reached RMB 5.49 billion, doubled on year-on-year basis; integrated circuit exports reached RMB 10.7 billion, compared to last year's RMB 7.8 billion; exports of notebook computer and components reached RMB 3.02 billion with a year-on-year growth of 34.2%. As the spokesman of Chengdu Customs said, the industrial division including "upstream imports, processing in Chengdu, in situ support for downstream enterprises and export of terminal products" indicated that Sichuan had gradually marched towards the high end of the electronic information industrial chain. (May 19, Sichuan Daily/Zeng Xiaoqing)

The 100th International (Regional) Route of Chengdu Opened

On May 22 at 14:18, Flight ET0636 from Addis Ababa, capital of Ethopia landed at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, and thus the 100th international (regional) route of Chengdu is opened. This route indicated that Chengdu marched further towards the construction of the national-level international aviation hub.
 This direct flight from Chengdu to Addis Ababa is Chengdu's 2nd direct flght to Africa and the 1st direct flight to the African continent since the direct flight from Chengdu to Mauritius. This route is operated by Ethiopian Airlines with Boeing 787-8 jetliner. Three flights will be arranged every week with flight time of 9.5 hours, which is 6 hours shorter than previously. As the eastern portal of the African continent, Addis Ababa is also the home to the African Union headquarters. After arriving Addis Ababa from Chengdu, you can quickly reach other African cities. Chengdu is the first city in Midwestern China to open the flight to Ethiopia. With the opening of the route, international (regional) shipping points of Chengdu have risen up to 82, with international (regional) routes increased by 54 compared to 2012, ranking first in Midwestern China.
 In recent years, by focusing on the "Belt and Road Initiative", Sichuan has striven to advance the construction of the national-level international aviation hub and strengthen the core support of Air Silk Road with evident effectiveness. With the opening of direct flights to Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt, San Francisco, Moscow, Paris and Sydney, Chengdu has become the only Midwestern city with international (regional) airline network reaching all 5 continents. This year, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport will open direct flights to Auckland, Sochi and New York. In the future, there will be more air routes for countries/regions along the "Belt and Road". (May 123, Sichuan Daily/Jing Song, Wang Meiling & Xiong Xiaowei)

Key Projects

2,000 Enterprises Newly Settled, Attracting Over RMB 25 Billion Investment

On April 1, China (Sichuan) Pilot Free Trade Zone was unveiled. In the past month, Sichuan Pilot Free Trade Zone has attracted nearly 2,000 new enterprises, with a total investment over RMB 25 billion.
 Since the establishment of Sichuan Pilot Free Trade Zone, every day there are hundreds of newly settled enterprises, bringing about an average registered capital of RMB 1 billion every day. Government affairs service areas of Chengdu Tianfu New Area, Chengdu Qingbaijiang Railway Port Area and South Sichuan Port Area have introduced their featured highlight services. Taking Tianfu New Area as an example, device terminals capable of providing online manual translation for 55 languages (including all languages of countries/regions along the "Belt and Road") were introduced for foreign enterprises in the Pilot Free Trade Zone. Chengdu Tianfu New Area (CDHT) has adopted the first government affairs service robot in China and built an international business environment system by means of "big data + AI + government affairs service". By the end of this year, 50% of the service items provided by this Area shall be completed by the robot. For South Sichuan Port Area, on the basis of integration of business license, tax registration certificate and organization code, certificates issued by 10 departments including administrative approval, administration for industry and commerce, quality supervision, tax administration, human resources and social security, statistics, public security, customs, inspection and quarantine and bureau of commerce shall be integrated to launch the "ten-in-one" enterprise green channel. (May 3, Sichuan Daily/Liu Wenzao)

11 Projects Inaugurated in Chengdu Tianfu International Bio-tech Industry Town with a Total Investment of RMB 11.5 Billion

On May 5, centralized commencement ceremony of Chengdu Tianfu International Bio-tech Industry Town was held in Chengdu, with 11 major projects commenced bringing about a total investment of RMB 11.5 billion. Among the projects, there are 9 industrial R & D projects involving in areas of bio-medicine, biomedical engineering and biological services, which include the J. Michael Bishop Institute of Cancer Research (MBICR) and new cancer-fighting drugs R & D project led by the Nobel Prize winning team, the MSD-PriMed International Research Center for Innovative Drugs & Translational Medicine Center project, the China Center of Global Drug Commercialization Center (GDCC) in Canada led by international advanced biomedical enterprise/organization, etc. In addition, there are the industrial supporting projects for industry incubation park of Chengdu Tianfu International Bio-tech Industry Town and the infrastructure and public service supporting project for Chengdu Tianfu International Bio-tech Industry Town. With a total investment exceeding RMB 7 billion, these two projects aim to improve industry support and living facilities of Chengdu Tianfu International Bio-tech Industry Town and promote "Industry-City Integration".
 Co-built by Chengdu High-tech Zone and Shuangliu District, Chengdu Tianfu International Bio-tech Industry Town has currently introduced 228 settled projects and 53 contracted projects with a total agreed investment of RMB 65 billion. (May 7, Sichuan Daily/Xiong Xiaowei and Yang Feifei)

17 Key Transportation Projects Commenced

On May 16, the commencement ceremony and mobilization meeting of the 2017 2nd quarter key transportation projects of Sichuan Province was held in Deyang City. 17 key highway & waterage projects went under construction, and the investment totaled up to RMB 76 billion. Among the 17 projects, there are 4 expressways, 11 general national and provincial highway projects and 2 water transport projects covering 15 cities/prefectures of the 5 major economic regions in Sichuan. The expressway projects include Deyang-Dujiangyan Expressway (also known as the 3rd Ring Expressway North Section), Xuyong-Weixin Expressway, Chengdu-Ziyang-Chongqing Expressway, and Chengdu-Leshan Expressway Expansion. With loop lines and highways out of Sichuan, the completion of the project will greatly improve regional transport conditions and stimulate regional economic vitality. The national and provincial highway projects are distributed in 11 cities (prefectures) including Chengdu and Bazhong. Among them, there are economic trunk highway projects, tourism highways and poverty-alleviation highway projects, which will play a significant role in further promoting tourism resources development and boost poverty alleviation. Among the water transport projects, Hudu Creak Navigation-power Junction belongs to the 3rd cascade navigation-power development of the Pengshan-Leshan section of Minjiang River main stream. It will help to construct the modern comprehensive transportation system in seamless connection with regional highways, railways, waterage and aviation network and service the construction of Sichuan Pilot Free Trade Zone and Tianfu New Area; the bulk berth project in Zhicheng Operation Area can effectively reduce the logistics cost of bulk cargo in the hinterland of Yibin Port and improve port competitiveness.
 In the 1st quarter, 19 key transportation projects with a total investment of RMB 75 billion were landed. In the first 4 months, RMB 40.3 billion were invested in transportation construction, with total provincial traffic mileage of expressways exceeding 6,600 km. (May 17, Sichuan Daily/Wang Meiling)

Chengdu Hand in Hand with Guangyuan to Build the International Regional Logistics Center

On May 15, Chengdu and Guangyuan signed the Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement for Promoting Coordinated Development, with the contents covering comprehensive innovation reform, featured advantageous industries, trade & logistics and education & health. According to the agreement, the two sides will jointly develop an international regional logistics center for the "Belt and Road" area.
 With respect to collaborative innovation, both sides will jointly build an innovation alliance to highlight areas of advantage such as civil-military in-depth integration and development; with respect to industry, both sides will jointly build an industrial cooperation platform to promote joint investment and support cross-regional layout projects of enterprises; with respect to service industry, both sides will jointly build a regional logistics information platform to create an international regional logistics center for the "Belt and Road" area; with respect to agriculture, both sides will actively deepen cooperation in intensive processing of agricultural products, construction of featured agricultural parks & branding of featured agricultural products and foster a batch of high-end "Tianfu Agriculture" brands; with respect to culture-tourism integration, both sides will implement the tourism cooperative agreement by insisting on common resources sharing, routes promotion, marketing & branding to boost the cultural and tourism brands; with respect to facilities linkage, both sides will comprehensively strengthen cooperation in aviation, railways, highways and water transport, actively promote strategic cooperation between Guangyuan Airport, Shuangliu International Airport and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, so as to build a cross-regional multi-modal transport network system and create a major path which is closely integrated into the "Belt and Road" area. (May 18, Sichuan Daily/Shi Xiaolu, Chen Bihong)

Industries

Total Output Value of Brand-name Products Enterprises Reached Nearly RMB 1 Trillion

May 10 is the 1st "Chinese Brand Day". By the end of last year, total output value of Sichuan's brand-name products enterprises reached RMB 984.07 billions, accounting for 37.50% of the total provincial output value of enterprises above designated size; total pre-tax profits reached RMB 101.89 billion, accounting for 27.7% of the provincial total pre-tax profits of enterprises above designated size.
 Last year, Sichuan issued the Policy Measures on Promoting Stable Economic Growth and Improve Quality and Efficiency for Advancing Supply-side Structural Reform, with 6 in 17 measures targeting "brand-making & benefit increasing". It was mentioned explicitly that enterprises first winning the China Quality Award, newly registered China famous trademarks, etc. would get rewards ranging from RMB 500,000 to RMB 2 million.
 Last year, Sichuan determined 14 comparison products and comparison index systems and organized quality comparison and consultation conferences. The acts were praised by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China and Sichuan was encouraged to create more competitive products and famous brands and cultivate "Made in Sichuan" products of higher quality, more famous brand and more popularity. There were various highlights in the collaborative promotion of brand building. Based on enterprise brand cultivation and pilot demonstration, Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Commission recommended 38 enterprises including Sichuan Jian'an to be approved as the national "2016 Brand Cultivating Pilot Enterprises"; the commercial department accelerated construction of the 100 major service projects, 100 major enterprises of service industry and 100 major service brands and innovated the way of Sichuan products for export by carrying out three major market development activities; for consecutive years, the industry and commerce department led Sichuan brands and enterprises to develop the market and enhance brand influence with the help of the China Trademark Festival...Aiming at brand building and industry quality improvement, Sichuan strives for quality and efficiency improvement of enterprises.
 Last year, through subject quality awareness & brand creation activities, Sichuan enterprises made satisfactory achievements: 4 Sichuan enterprises won the nomination of the 2nd China Quality Award, ranking 7th in China and 2nd in the West; 12 products were newly Ｄeclared and approved by National Product of Geographical Indication, bringing the total to 252, ranking 1st in 7 consecutive years with annual output value increased from RMB 150 billion before the PGI to current RMB 550 billion, which accounted for 18% of the provincial GDP and benefited 15 million peasants and farmers. (May 10, Sichuan Daily/Liu Jia)

China South Industries Group Corporation Established Its First Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Center in Sichuan

On May 9, Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Center of China South Industries Group Corporation was unveiled in Mianyang. This was the first intelligent manufacturing technology center laid out by the Gropu in Sichuan. Subordinated to the Group's Southwest Automation Research Institute, Intelligent Manufacturing Technology Center of China South Industries Group Corporation shall take advantage of the core technology of the institute in intelligent manufacturing to make breakthrough in intelligent manufacturing technology, develop process equipment, carry out application demonstration and achievement transformation and drive the implementation of automation, digitization and intellectualization of manufacturing processes. In order to build an industry-university-research-practice cooperation innovation platform, the Southwest Automation Research Institute has invited 65 scientific research institutions, universities and enterprises including China Academy of Engineering Physics, Changhong and Jezetek to joint the Center and make technological breakthroughs in intelligent manufacturing. (May 11, Sichuan Daily/Zou Junchuan)

Melbourne Marketing Center for Sichuan Tourism Was Established

On May 12, as the focus of the "Beautiful China, more than pandas" tourism promotion in Australia, Melbourne Marketing Center for Sichuan Tourism was officially unveiled, aiming to provide Sichuan tourism information and other services for local people. Sichuan and Australia are important tourist origins of each other. In 2016, Sichuan ushered in 103,000 tourists from Australia, with a year-on-year growth of 15.02%. According to official from Sichuan Provincial Tourism Development Committee, the Center shall turn the temporary marketing of Sichuan Tourism in Australia into stationary marketing. Local media shall assist to promote Sichuan tourism and local travel agencies and routes and resources of Sichuan Airlines shall facilitate to organize Australia tourists to visit Sichuan.
 Sichuan tourism promotion was held in Melbourne on the same day. At the promotion, tourism companies from Sichuan and Melbourne signed strategic cooperation agreements. At the promotion, the departure ceremony of promotion buses for Sichuan tourism was held, with over 40 Australia tourism buses painted with pandas shuttling among scenic spots in Melbourne to enhance the Australian' understanding of panda's hometown. (May 14, Sichuan Daily/Liu Xing)

China's First 6th Generation Flexible AMOLED Production Line Was Put into Operation in Chengdu

On May 16, China's first 6th generation flexible AMOLED production line (Chengdu BOE 6th generation flexible AMOLED production line) was put into production. As the largest single investment of BOE with a total investment value of RMB 46.5 billion, this production line was initiated in May 2015. It mainly produces small to medium size flexible AMOLED display screens with a design production capacity of 48,000 6th generation glass substrates per month. After reaching design capacity, there can be an annual shipment of 90 million high-end flexible display screens with an expected annual output value of RMB 30 billion. As one of the development directions of new global display technology, flexible AMOLED display product is widely used in high-end mobile phones and the new generation of wearable display systems. Compared to traditional technology, this production line can make product screen resolution higher with faster reaction speed and lower power dissipation. In addition, flexible packaging technology is adopted to realize bending and folding of display screens. (May 16, Sichuan Daily/Xiong Xiaowei)

Average Annual Growth of Sichuan's Total Data Exceeded 40%

On May 17 the World Telecommunications Day, Sichuan Big Data Industry Federation published the province's first White Paper on Development of Big Data industry in Sichuan Province. As the total data is in an explosive increase at an annual speed of over 40%, Sichuan has become a major province of data.
 Big data application in Sichuan is mainly focused on six major fields including big data basic support industries, big data strategic emerging industries and government affairs service. As big data application is still in the process from industry hot spots to the traditional domain, Sichuan has developed relatively perfect information networks, computing, storage and security infrastructure. Its application level of informatization has pioneered in in China and the electronic information industry is developing rapidly.
 By 2016, nearly 60% of Sichuan enterprises have set up their big data analysis departments, with over one third Sichuan enterprises utilizing big data and total data resources of 70% of Sichuan enterprises between 50TB and 500TB. Sichuan has established relatively perfect E-government intranet and outer net and a provincial unified E-government cloud service platform based on the "+N+N+1" mode. Currently the platform has attracted 21 provincial departments and 148 applications to settle in. (May 18, Sichuan Daily/Luo Zhiyang)

Commenced Projects

104 RMB 10 Billion Investment Projects Inaugurated

In the last 5 years, the quantity of newly inaugurated projects with over RMB 10 billion investment has reached 104, with a total investment of over RMB 2.6 trillion. Projects with over RMB 10 billion investment are considered as "top priorities" of provincial key projects. In the past few years, quantity of such projects has been rising rapidly year by year. In 2012, there were 12 newly inaugurated projects with over RMB 10 billion investment, and in 2016 the corresponding quantity reached 37; in 2012, total investment value of projects with over RMB 10 billion investment was RMB 260 billion, in 2015 the corresponding figure exceeded RMB 570 billion and in 2016 the corresponding figure exceeded RMB 990 billion.
 As official from the provincial major project construction office introduced, these projects with over RMB 10 billion investment covered the realms of infrastructure and industries. They directly affected stable economic growth of the current period, and also improve weakness, adjust the structure and promote the development of new kinetic energy due to the characteristics of strong support, high concentration and wide influence. Official from Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Commission introduced the example of DPCA No. 4 Plant project which came into production last year. With a total investment value of RMB 12.3 billion, this project has a planned annual capacity of 360,000 SUV and other high-end models, accounting for one fourth of the provincial whole car capacity. This sole project will be a powerful driving force for the whole car manufacturing industry's transformation from the middle and the mid-low end to the mid-to-high end. (May 4, Sichuan Daily/Xiong Xiaowei and Zeng Xiaoqing)

Convention & Exhibition Economy

The 5th Sichuan Agricultural Expo Will be Held in November Chengdu with Israel as the Country of Honor

The 5th Sichuan Agricultural Expo Will be Held in November. This year's Expo shall focus on specialization, marketization and internationalization and set up 4 categories of pavilions including new industry and new format pavilion, pavilion for organic products of geographical indication, agricultural cooperation pavilion and  forestry industry. With a covering area of 60,000 m², the Expo will display organic products of geographical indication, foods, liquor, dairy products, agricultural science and technology, and will focus on exhibiting the gold-lettered signboards of Sichuan agriculture such as Sichuan tea, Sichuan liquor, Sichuan cuisine, etc. Besides, during the exhibition, there will be professional activities such as the Summit Forum on Further Promoting Agricultural Supply-side Structural Reform and Accelerating the Leap from Big Agricultural Province to Strong Agricultural Province. Currently, countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Italy, Israel, Iceland, Hungary, Poland, and domestic provinces (districts and cities) including Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia and Shandong have decided to participate. 10 agricultural leading enterprises and brand enterprises including Tongwei, New Hope and CP Food have explicit intention for participation. (May 11, Sichuan Daily/Li Longjun)

2017 Global Business Incubation Summit Was Held in Chengdu

On May 11, the 2017 Global Business Incubation Summit was held in Chengdu. Premier Li Keqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, wrote a letter of congratulations to the Summit.
 In his letter of congratulations, Li Keqiang said business incubation was an important method to foster SMEs, accelerate the transformation of scientific and technological achievements and promote collaborative innovation. For 30 years, China's business incubation has developed from from scratch and expanded from small to large. By absorbing and serving over 400,000 start-ups and promoting employment of over 2 million people, it has realized organic combination and virtuous circle for innovation, entrepreneurship and employment and played an important role in promoting economic and social development.
 Li Keqiang pointed out that currently China's economic development is at a critical moment for the transformation of new and new kinetic energy and economic structure upgrading. We will implement the new development concept, deeply carry out the innovation-driven development strategy, create a better business incubation environment, further promote mass entrepreneurship and innovation, build new industrial ecology for cross-border integration and development of large, medium and small enterprises and resources and revenue sharing, and build a more powerful new engine for economic development. China is ready to further strengthen cooperation with other countries in the world to create innovation force and energy for the global economy.
 2017 Global Business Incubation Summit was sponsored by Ministry of Science and Technology and Sichuan Provincial Government and themed on "business incubation in global reform". Wan Gang, vice chairman of the CPPCC national committee, vice president of China Association for Science and Technology and Ministry of Science and Technology and minister of Ministry of Science and Technology and Yin Li, vice-secretary of Sichuan Provincial CPC Committee, Governor of Sichuan Province attended the forum and gave a speech.
 At the opening of the Summit, Wan Gang sincerely welcomed the guests on behalf of Ministry of Science and Technology. He said, in the past 3 decades, China's technology entrepreneurship incubation undertakings have made great contribution for the economic and social development and remarkable achievements as well as summary of valuable experiences. At present, in the wave of mass entrepreneurship and innovation, China's technology entrepreneurship incubation has ushered in historical opportunities and gradually stepped into the main battlefields of economic construction. There are emerging new trends of development: more professional entrepreneurship incubation capacity, more integrated entrepreneurship incubation resources, more diversified entrepreneurship incubation services and more open incubation ecology. Promoting the internationalization of innovation and entrepreneurship is a general trend, and China has made fruitful efforts in this respect. By adhering to opening-up, Chengdu has formed a fertile field for international innovation and entrepreneurship in West China, established a number of cooperation carriers including China-South Korea Innovation and Entrepreneurship Park to effectively link and allocate global innovation and entrepreneurship resources. At this Summit, it is hoped that representatives of all countries can learn from each other's advanced experience and practices of entrepreneurship incubation and jointly plan the development blueprint of global entrepreneurship incubation in a new period. We should further strengthen international cooperation and dialogue, accelerate boosting free flow and market allocation of global innovation and entrepreneurship elements, improve the legal, regulatory and policy systems for equal treatment and fair competition, create a win-win cooperation platform for innovation and entrepreneurship and continue to build consensus and synergy for the development of entrepreneurship incubation in various countries, so as to promote better and faster development of global entrepreneurship incubation and boost sustainable growth of global economy.
  Yin Li welcomed the participators on behalf of the provincial Party committee and government. He said, as one of China's pilot zones for all-round innovation and reform, Sichuan was earnestly implementing the new development concept and deeply carrying out the innovation-driven development strategy to make solid progress in all-round innovation and reform by taking it as the "No.1 Project" to lead Sichuan's development during the "13th Five-year Plan". As a grand international gathering for innovation and entrepreneurship, this Summit provides an important platform for information exchange, collision of ideas and mutual learning. We shall strengthen international cooperation in business incubation, further promote the "Entrepreneurship in Sichuan" activity, invigorate innovation & entrepreneurship, and constantly unleash new demand, create new supply, and foster new driving forces for growth. We sincerely invite global entrepreneurs to bring your passion, ideas, technology and projects to Sichuan, pursue your dreams and realize your ambitions. We are eagerly looking forward to the experts and scholars' visit to Sichuan and their good suggestions for economic and social development of Sichuan. (May 12, Sichuan Daily/Xiong Xiaowei, Zhang Minghai & Hu Yanshu)

World-class Science Park Alliance Was Established in Chengdu

On May 11, the 2017 Round-table Summit of World-class Science Park Alliance was held in Chengdu. Themed on "Join hands together to lead the future", this Summit aimed to discuss the development of science and technology parks in the global open innovation context. During the Summit, Chengdu High-tech Zone and Sophia Antipolis Science Park in France launched the World-class Science Park Alliance and issued the Alliance Declaration with 22 alliance members.
 Members of the World-class Science Park Alliance include 13 foreign parks such as Sophia Antipolis Science Park in France, Barcelona Innovation Industrial Park in Spain and Amsterdam Science Park in Netherlands and 9 Chinese parks such as Zhangjiang Hi-Tech District in Shanghai, Shenzhen High-tech Zone and Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone. Alliance members shall explore new exchanges and cooperation mechanisms among parks, expand cooperation areas and channels and build an international model for open innovation & cooperation; multiple subjects including alliance members, settled enterprises, investors and technology service organizations will be supported to carry out practical cooperation and realize resource sharing in fields of innovation, capital, talents, industry, etc.; cooperation models between alliance members shall be further discussed. (May 12, Sichuan Daily/Li Xinyi and Xiong Xiaowei)

CCPIT Sichuan Council

With New Energy and New Power, 2017 China (Chengdu) New Energy Vehicles Exhibition Led the New Trend of Chengdu

"2017 China (Chengdu) New Energy Vehicles Exhibition" (hereinafter referred to as the "New Energy Vehicles Exhibition") and the "2017 China Automobile Industry Venture Investment Summit and China (Sichuan) New energy Automobile Industry Investment Cooperation Conference" (hereinafter referred to as the "Automobile Venture Investment Summit") will be held On May 25, 2017 in Chengdu. Held in Chengdu for the first time, the "New Energy Vehicles Exhibition" is sponsored by CCPIT Automotive Sub Council, Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Commission and CCPIT Sichuan Council and will be grandly opened in No. 5 Hall of Chengdu Century City International Exhibition and Conference Center during May 25 and May 27. With an exhibition area of 10,000 m², this exhibition will intensively display the development of domestic and overseas new energy industry and Sichuan's new energy automobile, spare parts and supporting enterprises in the form of "whole car+spare parts+charging equipment" whole industry chain.

Currently, KIA, Lincoln, Volvo, GM, Porsche and other well-known foreign brands have confirmed to participate, and Chang'an, BYD, Geely, Zotye, BAIC, SAIC, Chery and other domestic famous brands will also participate to demonstrate the latest products and technology of new energy vehicles. 6 Sichuan enterprises including Chengdu Bus Co., Ltd., Sichuan Auto, Sichuan Zhongzhi New Energy Vehicle Co., Ltd., Sichuan Yema Automobile, RAJA and Xin Zhu Tong Gong will compete with foreign brands. The "Automobile Venture Investment Summit" will be held in the Crystal Hall of New International Convention & Exposition Center, Century City, Chengdu from May 24 to 25. Themed on "new energy, new power", this Summit gives prominence to innovation & development and cross-industry integration and innovation of enterprises of whole cars, spare parts & new energy automobile. Wei Jie, director of the National Centre for Economic Research (NCER) at Tsinghua University and other famous economists will be invited to the Summit to make in-depth interpretation of the development of new energy and intelligent vehicles from many aspects; whole car company Ｅxecutives from BAIC Group, JAC, Geely, Chery and ZD and Internet business Ｅxecutives from Singulato Motors and DZ will be invited to carry out in-depth discussion on auto industry upgrading and intelligent manufacturing as planned. On that occasion, government leaders, economists, heads of well-known vehicle and spare parts enterprises, Internet enterprise representatives, famous investors and authoritative media at home and abroad will gather together to discuss new opportunities in the transformation and upgrading of China's automobile industry and build a platform for communication, trade and investment of the industry.

The 11th China-LAC Business Summit

On May 24, 2017, the Investment Seminar of Latin America & the 11th China-LAC Business Summit Promotion sponsored by CCPIT Sichuan Council was held in Chengdu. Over 100 enterprise representatives from Sinohydro Bureau 5 Co., Ltd., China City Construction 19th Engineering Bureau Group Co., Ltd., PowerChina Chengdu Engineering Corporation Limited, Sichuan Yema Auto and CRRC Meishan Co., Ltd. participated in this promotion. At the promotion, Li Li, vice-chairman of CCPIT Sichuan Council said in his speech, with the increasing trade and economic exchanges between Sichuan and Latin American countries, Latin America had become an important economic and trade area for the expansion of the "Belt And Road" and an important overseas market for Sichuan enterprises. The two sides shall strengthen economic and trade cooperation in food processing, infrastructure, tourism, electromechanical industry and energy industry. CCPIT Sichuan Council will actively serve enterprises, build exchange and cooperation platforms and provide effective service for business transactions as always. Fernando Lugris, Ambassador of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay to China and Antonio Carabra (安东尼奥·卡兰布拉), CEO of Uruguay 21 Century Investment and Export Promotion Bureau introduced trade and investment environment and relevant projects in Uruguay, and promoted the 11th China-LAC Business Summit which would be held in Punta del Este, Uruguay in November. As Yang Zhaoying, deputy director of the Latin America Office of CCPIT Liaison Department introduces, the 11th China-LAC Business Summit will be jointly sponsored by CCPIT, Inter-American Development Bank and Uruguay 21 Century Investment and Export Promotion Bureau. After the promotion, Ambassador Fernando Lugris said, with rich tourism resources and mature food processing industry, Uruguay's beef and soybean exports to China increased greatly in recent years, and there was enormous potential in cooperation with Sichuan in infrastructure works and manufacturing industry. Sichuan enterprises were welcomed to set up production factories. With the help of the free trade agreements signed by Uruguay and other South American countries, the products can radiate the project investment and construction of electromechanical industry, infrastructure, and new energy in the entire American continent. The Ambassador hoped that the 11th China-LAC Business Summit, could facilitate face-to-face communication between enterprises of both countries, help Sichuan enterprises to further understand investment environment and policy in South America, and do a good groundwork for further exploration of the South American market.