The master plan for the coordinated development of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle issued in 2021 by the central government proposed a shift in focus to integrated circuits (IC), smart phones and devices, advanced displays, and the building of an internationally competent electronic information industrial cluster in Chengdu and Chongqing in Southwest China.

Similarly, Chongqing's 14th five-year plan (2021-25) for digital economy also stressed the importance of reinforcing the digital industry.

Liangjiang New Area plans to enhance its electronic information sector by mainly focusing on the research of IC, new-type displays, smart devices, core automobile parts, and the internet.

Experts said that, as intelligent vehicles evolve, their dependence on chips will become even stronger. China will insert little influence in this field unless it takes control of the chip-related industrial chain. Liangjiang has already had layouts in raw materials, IC design, wafer fabrication, and package testing. Its semiconductor industrial park, which cost 1.8 billion yuan ($282.24 million), was put into operation last year. The park is currently home to 19 enterprises.

In addition, complete new-type display industry and supporting industrial clusters have taken shape in Liangjiang, led by BOE and Leybold, which include industrial chains for glass substrates, precision injection molding and precision blanking.

By the end of last year, BOE's sixth-generation flexible active matrix organic light emitting diode production line achieved mass production. It will offer the world cutting-edge flexible display products and solutions that are widely applied in smartphones and foldable laptops. It will also help Liangjiang collect more enterprises in the upper and lower reaches of the electronic information industrial chain.

What's more, new breakthroughs in digital speakers, smart wear and smart home are expected to be made in the new area. The two largest original equipment manufacturers in the world – Compal and Wistron – are based in the Lianglu Cuntan Comprehensive Bonded Zone, which solidifies Chongqing’s status as the world's largest laptop manufacturing base.

Liangjiang also seeks to enhance and upgrade one of its pillar sectors – auto research and manufacturing – by developing automotive chips and car sensors as well as basic software, including those for autopilot algorithms.

Industrial internet, satellite internet and intelligent software have all taken root in Liangjiang, with six State-level cross-field industrial internet platforms and two national special and professional industrial internet platforms.