70 foreign financial institutions visit Chongqing

From May 20-24, the "Foreign Financial Institutions Tour in Chongqing and Sichuan" event drew representatives from 70 foreign financial institutions and nearly 200 participants.

The Chongqing tour aimed to attract foreign financial institutions and long-term capital, foster high-level openness in the financial sector, share development opportunities, and advance the Western Financial Center's construction.

The delegation toured sites like the Chongqing Financial History Museum, Guoyuan Port, and Seres Liangjiang Factory, gaining insights into Chongqing's industrial traits, policy advantages, and business climate. They were deeply impressed by the city's dynamic development and openness.

The main venue hosted various activities: investment environment promotions, trade and investment financing matchmaking sessions, and a symposium on empowering the Western Financial Center by foreign banks and insurance institutions. Additionally, the "Western Financial Center" magazine debuted, and the official WeChat account of the Western Financial Center was launched.

During the event, a signing ceremony for key projects occurred, involving entities like Liberty Insurance Ltd., Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (China) Ltd., The Bank of East Asia (China) Ltd., and Nanyang Commercial Bank (China) Ltd. Chongqing Branch. Eight key projects were signed on-site, spanning sectors like consumer finance, green finance, and foreign insurance, with a total contract value of 10.8 billion RMB.

In 2023, Chongqing's financial sector's added value reached 259.1 billion RMB, accounting for 8.6% of the city's GDP. With the implementation of various policies supporting the "33618" modern manufacturing cluster system, technology enterprise financing, and rural revitalization, foreign financial institutions have been increasingly active in Chongqing.

(from YUTING CHEN, KENNY DONG)