Environment and industry success wins vibrancy award for Wenjiang

Chengdu's Wenjiang district has been re-awarded as one of the vibrant cities with the most sense of happiness in 2020 at a recent forum evaluating the happiest Chinese cities.

Covering 277 square kilometers, Wenjiang is located on the site of the ancient Yufu Kingdom from over 4,000 years ago.

Focusing on building itself into a livable and charming area in the city, Wenjiang has been living up to the new development philosophy featuring innovation, high efficiency and a green environment in recent years.

It has been selected as one of the top 100 "comprehensive strength districts" in China for eight consecutive years and was approved as a pioneer zone for collaborative reform in the China (Sichuan) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Strength in industry

In October, Wenjiang district signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan province to promote its medical health industry, taking a lead role in establishing a partnership with Boao in all coordinated zones in the Sichuan FTZ.

According to the agreement, the two sides will cooperate to build a new highland for the health industry by using Lecheng's advantages in policy, location and opening-up; and Wenjiang's advantages in industry, market and talents. The collaboration aims to create a new experience for the pilot zone's development in China's inland western and coastal areas.

The district has also put efforts into attracting talents to support this industry.

In early November, Wenjiang held a job fair for health industry talents, where 22 key companies including Haisco Pharmaceutical Group and Chengdu Gembio offered more than 200 job opportunities and attracted an equal number of graduates from Sichuan University.

Home to 19 colleges and universities, two national key laboratories and 172 research and development institutions above the provincial-level, Wenjiang now has more than 200,000 scientific and technological innovation professionals.

To date, Wenjiang has attracted more than 443 leading enterprises in medical science, healthcare and pharmaceuticals and five insurance giants including China Life, Taikang and China Taiping. The main business of the medical health industry has generated more than 25 percent of the combined revenue of the district for three consecutive years.

A livable city

As a key junction in the Belt and Road Initiative and the economic belt of the Yangtze River Delta, Wenjiang district enjoys a comprehensive transportation network covering subway lines that can reach its airports within one hour.

It gives Wenjiang an edge in its infrastructure construction concerning people's livelihoods, including education, medical care and the environment. The district is now home to three top 100 junior and senior high schools in the country and 11 prominent medical institutions.

Jiang Li, general manager of Liankang Investment, moved to settle down in Wenjiang in August.

Jiang is in charge of the company's business in managing and operating the Chengdu Medical City in the district.

Chengdu Dongchen Foreign Languages School is near to the medical city, which means it is convenient for her child to get to the school, Jiang said.

"That is also good for me to balance my work and childcare," she added.

This year, the district has built service centers for foreigners in its university town and Huaguang communities. They provide services ranging from residency permit applications, starting up businesses and tourism to cultural exchanges.

To date, these communities have welcomed foreigners from 107 countries and regions to settle down, according to the district government.

A green city

Over the past few years, Wenjiang has dedicated itself to protect the local ecology.

It has outlined a development pattern for constructing a 110-sq km area featuring idyllic scenery in its southern part. In the northern part, the district has planned a 167-sq km ecological park and created a 350-km-long green channel.

At the modern agricultural high-tech industrial park in Wanchun town is Yitian Taoyuan, a scenic spot in Wenjiang that has well-preserved natural resources in rural areas and farming culture. So far, it has welcomed more than 2,200 companies and developed agricultural businesses－including startups, home breeding and rural tourism－as part of an effort to boost rural revitalization and contribute to economic growth and environmental protection.