Investors buy into Chongqing ( 2003-12-05 00:39) (China Daily)
Chongqing Municipality's economy has grown rapidly thanks to the massive
Three Gorges Project and "Go West'' campaign, Vice-Mayor Huang Qifan told a
forum in Shanghai Thursday.
Investment accounts for 70 per cent of the city's gross domestic product,
which grew by 11.1 per cent in the first 10 months this year.
"The momentum will continue for five to 10 years while the huge volume of
investment will go on for another three to five years. Then consumption and
exports will play a larger role,'' Huang said at the Asia Leadership Forum.
He estimated that by 2010 the city would receive over 1 trillion yuan (US$120
billion) in investment from various sectors and regions. About 40 per cent would
go to infrastructures while the rest would be evenly split between the service
and industrial sectors.
Transport systems will need 200 billion yuan (US$24 billion) in investment,
to fund three new highways and four railways. Power station and electronic
network construction will require 100 billion yuan (US$12 billion).
Huang said in the coming years, an average 500,000 farmers a year will become
city dwellers, creating the need for more cities and towns to house a growing
urban population.
In 20 years, Chongqing will be home to 20 million people, 6 million of whom
will live in the city centre. About five other cities will house 1 million
residents each.
More than 20 smaller cities and 100 towns are also needed. It will cost more
than 200 billion yuan (US$24 billion) to build the city infrastructure to
realize this urbanization plan.
The growing urban population will also attract over 200 billion yuan (US$24
billion) in capital to the real estate sector, the vice-mayor added.
In the first 10 months of this year, fixed asset investment rose by a quarter
to 130 billion yuan (US$15.7 billion).
Currently, 40 per cent of the money comes from bank loans. Local investment
accounts for 25 per cent, government finances for 14 per cent, and capital from
other parts of China and overseas contribute 10 and 5 per cent respectively. The
remaining 6 per cent is financed through the capital market.
Huang said Chongqing hopes to attract more capital from coastal areas and
foreign countries.
In addition to its geographical and resource advantages, as a traditional
industrial base Chongqing has a large pool of skilled but cheap labour.
Huang said as China's newest municipality, the city gives investors the same,
if not better, policies as those offered by Shenzhen two decades ago and by
Shanghai's Pudong 10 years ago.
"Most important of all, our market is open and our government is supportive
and efficient,'' said the mayor.
"The large market potential ensures profitable prospects for investors.''