As a hub at the intersection of Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone and the New Silk Road, Chongqing Bonded Port Area witnessed a rapid increase in laptop output and other bulk commodities processing in the first quarter of the year. Meanwhile, the bonded port area has been expanding swiftly into new fields including gold jewelry, precision instruments and clothing. In addition, the bonded port area is seeking to build up its OEMs to win more orders from producers outside; and to encourage processing enterprises and cross-border e-commerce enterprises to conduct both general and bonded business within the area, so as to facilitate the development of a distinctive industrial chain and a cluster.

From January to March, the bonded port area produced 640,580 laptops – up by 77.31 percent year-on-year, with an output of 17.317 billion yuan ($2.7725), up by 79.9 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, four gold processing enterprises started operations; and a high-end international garment making program was successfully introduced. All of these are contributing to the goal of an annual production of 100 billion yuan in the port area.

It is reported that by the end of March, the three ODMs (all Fortune 500 companies) in the port area – Compal Electronics, Wistron and Pegatron – had 39 assembly lines and 26 SMT production lines in operation, with an estimated annual production capacity of 35 million laptops. Companies such as the laptop shell manufacturer Kaiquan Co. also joined the port area recently. The industrial chain was thus further strengthened.

In terms of bonded processing, apart from laptop manufacturing, the area has another two gold processing enterprises that started operations, aiming at an annual output of over 10 billion yuan. A high-end international clothing factory, as newly reached in the deal, will start construction soon this year, and it will cover an area of around 63 mu (42,000 square meters) with a planned gross floor area of around 50,000 sqm. It is estimated that this program will produce an output worth one billion yuan when the factory is completed.

Bonded processing is becoming a main driver for Chongqing economy. In 2013, Chongqing’s electronic information industry took up 23.7 percent of the total output value and contributed to nearly 60 percent of the overall industrial growth, making itself the largest pillar of Chongqing. In 2013, the Chongqing Bonded Port Area exported 21.56 million laptops, accounting for half of its total exports.

“The bonded port area is putting great emphasis on developing bonded processing, which will facilitate the industry restructuring and an opening-up to outside investment and businesses,” an official of the bonded port area said.