Chengdu's Emergence as a Global Innovation Hub in the 14th Five-Year Plan Era

Chengdu's Ascent as a Global Innovation Center

In recent years, Chengdu, the capital city of China’s Sichuan Province, has gained significant recognition as a leading global innovation hub. With its impressive jump to 24th place in the Global Innovation Index 2025, Chengdu has effectively positioned itself at the forefront of technological development and innovation.

This remarkable progress coincides with China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), which emphasizes the importance of scientific advancements and technological innovations across the nation. A focal point of this strategy is the Chengdu-Chongqing economic region, which has been earmarked to evolve into a pivotal center of science and technology. Chengdu has taken the lead, launching initiatives that establish a robust innovation ecosystem characterized by high-level research institutions, laboratories, and innovation centers.

Infrastructure and Institutional Development

As part of its commitment to becoming a beacon of innovation, Chengdu has developed a scientific infrastructure that includes a national laboratory, four national innovation centers, and ten essential scientific infrastructures. Additionally, the establishment of four Tianfu laboratories highlights Chengdu’s dedication to research and development.

The city boasts approximately 96 national innovation platforms, amongst them the National Industrial Innovation Center for Precision Medicine and the National Supercomputing Center. Chengdu is also home to 27 national-level research institutions and has initiated 65 collaborative projects with universities and research institutes, underscoring its aim to enhance synergy between academia and industry.

Focus on Future Industries

Chengdu has proactively identified and developed future-oriented industries, issuing implementation guidelines across 24 sectors that include humanoid robotics and flexible display technologies. The city's recent initiative, which includes a massive fund of 100 billion yuan (approximately 14.1 billion USD) aimed at boosting hard-tech startups, further emphasizes Chengdu's ambition to foster innovation-driven economic growth.

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