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Chengdu's Transformation into a Global Innovation Center

Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province in southwest China, has successfully established itself as a leading global innovation hub. The city made a significant leap in its status by climbing to 24th place in the 2025 Global Innovation Index. This impressive achievement is a testament to the proactive implementation of national scientific and technological ambitions outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025).

Strategic Development Goals

The core strategy behind this transformation involves turning the Chengdu-Chongqing region into a vital center for scientific and technological innovation. Central to this vision is Chengdu, which has become a cornerstone of the initiative, fostering a high-level innovation ecosystem. This includes the establishment of one national laboratory and four national innovation centers, alongside 10 major scientific infrastructures and four Tianfu laboratories.

Significant advancements have been made through the operations of around 96 national innovation platforms, such as the National Center for Industrial Innovation in Precision Medicine and the National Supercomputing Center. Additionally, there are 27 national-level research institutes, and the city has embarked on 65 collaborative innovation projects with universities and research institutes, boosting its research capabilities even further.

Industry Future-Focused

Chengdu has swiftly transitioned toward developing future industries. The city issued guidelines for implementation across 24 sectors, which include humanoid robotics and flexible display technologies. To sustain this momentum, a fund of 100 billion RMB (approximately 14.1 billion USD) dedicated to future industries was initiated in July, aimed at supporting startup ventures in material-energy sectors.

Furthermore, the Sci-Tech Express platform and Sci-Tech Island have optimized the commercialization process for innovations. The Sci-Tech Island hosts 102 service providers offering 104 different types of services, while the online Sci-Tech Express platform has served scientific and technological enterprises over 200,000 times.

Integrating Innovations into Daily Life

Innovations in Chengdu have permeated various aspects of urban life. For instance, during the 2021 World University Games, more than 170 technological products were employed to enhance sports facilities and improve spectator experiences. Artificial intelligence-driven rehabilitation robots now cater to the elderly residents of the city, showcasing how technology can enhance the quality of life.

Chengdu is also home to an intelligent safety monitoring network that oversees underground pipelines, bridges, and tunnels—highlighting the city's commitment to safety and innovation.

As of now, Chengdu's innovation ecosystem features over 14,500 national high-tech enterprises and 354 'small giants'—an elite group of small and medium-sized enterprises specializing in niche sectors. Five national demonstration bases for innovation and entrepreneurship have been established, along with 76 national incubators and production sites, as well as an additional 76 provincial and municipal-level incubators where 5,702 projects are underway.

Attracting Talent and Intellectual Property Rights

Talent development initiatives have earned Chengdu the title of 'Best City for Talent Attraction in China' for six consecutive years. Breakthrough policies regarding intellectual property rights have led 36 local universities and research institutes to conduct over 2,000 assessments of ownership rights for their achievements. This effort has facilitated the incubation of 588 enterprises, with social investments nearing 21 billion RMB.

Overall, Chengdu's journey to becoming an innovation powerhouse reflects a well-thought-out strategy supported by significant infrastructure and collaborative efforts, setting a model for urban innovation driven by scientific advancements.