Backed by an advanced transportation system, the southwestern city of Chengdu is rising to become a gateway for China's westward opening-up.

The city has been expanding and optimizing its airline, railway and highway networks, making itself an international logistics hub. A key step is the construction of the Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, the city's second airport.

The airport will be the largest in the central and western region. It will mainly serve international routes, while the current airport will handle domestic flights.

The new airport will be connected to a highly advanced land transportation system, including highways, subways and high-speed rail, which will allow for the easy transfer of passengers and cargo to destinations around Chengdu and its neighboring cities.

"The new airport is of vital importance for the development of Sichuan province and the western region. It will strengthen Chengdu's advantages as western China's transportation hub, and add wings to the economic development of the city," said Deng Ling, a professor of economics at Sichuan University.

Deng said the new airport will also boost the opening up of Chengdu and Sichuan province, and help to promote the development of the Silk Road Economic Belt and Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Sheng Yi, deputy director of the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, said the new airport would help the city to attract talent and resources, enhance international exchanges and boost industry development.

Located at the intersection of the Silk Road Economic Belt and Yangtze River Economic Belt, Chengdu has been drawing attention from global investors and partners.

By the end of last year, Chengdu had direct economic and trade relations with 223 major cities worldwide including 20 that have opened trade and tourism offices in the city. The city is also home to 271 Fortune Top 500 companies.

Fifteen foreign countries have set up consulates in Chengdu, the largest number in western China. By the end of March, the city had 29 sister cities and 40 friendly partner cities.

Land transportation

Chengdu is upgrading its land transportation system. Railway lines starting from Chengdu not only connect it to cities all over China, but also to Central Asia and Europe.

The Chengdu-Europe Express Rail that started operation in April 2013 departs from the Chengdu International Railway Port and terminates in Lodz, Poland. It transports laptops, iPads, auto parts and home appliances to Europe, and brings back mechanical and electrical products, food and beverages.

On March 25, a train carrying 20,000 semi-finished color TVs from TCL's Chengdu subsidiary headed to Europe on the express rail track. The TVs were to be finished in Poland and sold in European countries.

Since January 2015, TCL has transported 468 tons of cargo worth 53.72 million yuan ($8.28 million) via express rail, according to Chengdu customs.

"We sent our products by sea in the past, which took 27 days," said Liu Guifang, project director of TCL's operations center. "The express rail saves us plenty of time as it cuts the transport time to around 10 days."

Liu said the express rail provides a more convenient channel for her company to do business with its European clients. The company plans to export TVs via express rail every week.

The city is playing an important role as a transportation hub, as it puts forward the idea of "Chengdu-Europe Plus", referring to the railway being connected to more domestic and European cities.

The railway is expanding to Chinese cities including Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xiamen and Kunming, while in Europe, it will expand to cities including Nuremberg, Hamburg and Tilburg, according to the Chengdu Port and Logistics Office.

Chengdu also opened the Chengdu-Central Asia Express Rail in July 2014, connecting it to Central Asian countries within nine to 11 days.

According to the city's planning, by 2020 the railway network will make it possible to travel between Chengdu and nearby Chongqing within one hour; to major cities such as Xi'an, Kunming, Guiyang and Wuhan within four hours; and to the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and Bohai Rim area within eight hours.

The highway network will shorten the driving time from Chengdu to Chongqing to within three hours; to Xi'an, Kunming, Guiyang and Wuhan to within eight hours; and to the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and the Bohai Rim area to within 20 hours.

An illustration of a bird's eye view of the new airport in Chengdu.

(China Daily 05/30/2016 page22)