As a founding member of the Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation Framework Agreement, Chengdu has attracted 403.41 billion yuan ($63.14 billion) in investments during the past seven years.

The largest investments came from Guangdong, one of the eight mainland capitals, along with Hong Kong and Macao regions, to join the cooperative agreements.

Pan-Pearl investments

Of the 403.41 billion yuan in investments reported by Chengdu from 2005 to June 2011, Guangdong province accounted for 25.6 percent of those investments and Hong Kong accounted for 18.2 percent, Chengdu Daily reported.

Chengdong Customs also has signed a "local declaration and port clearance" cooperation agreement with customs agencies of major ports in the Pan-Pearl River Delta region, such as Huangpu port, Shenzhen port and Guangzhou port. From 2008 to 2010, Chengdu customs has imported and exported 161,800 tons of goods worth $6.28 billion in the form of local declaration and customs transit. Those imports and exports also resulted in 1.811 billion yuan in tax payments.

Inter-government exchanges

Over the past seven years, the exchange of visits among leaders, departments and enterprises of Sichuan province, Chengdu and Pan-Pearl River Delta partners has increased significantly.

In April 2010, Sichuan and Guangxi signed the Framework Agreement on Further Deepening Cooperation between Sichuan and Guangxi province, with a special focus on the Guangxi Beibu Gulf Economic Zone and Chengdu Urban-Rural Balanced Development and Reform Pilot Zone. The goal was to share the opportunities of China and the ASEAN Free Trade Area and further advance cooperation between Chengdu and Nanning.

In June, Sichuan province and Yunnan province signed the 19th Kunming Import and Export Fair, a strategic cooperation framework agreement. The agreement calls for the two provinces to strengthen cooperation on transportation, tourism, trade, industry, ecology and environmental protection to promote the opening-up of southwestern China.

Trade

Chengdu actively participated in trade fairs and exhibitions held by member cities. Each year Chengdu is one of the organizers of the ASEAN Expo held in Nanning, which attracted 20 enterprises this year. Chengdu helped organize more than 30 enterprises that participated in the annual Kunming Import and Export Fair in Kunming and the participation of more than 100 enterprises at the Canton Fair held in Guangzhou.

Chengdu actively encourages the participation of Pan-River Pearl River partners in the Western China International Fair and other major fairs held in Chengdu. In May, the Ministry of Commerce and Hong Kong Trade Development Council held the Style Hong Kong Show and the Chengdu Session of China (Hong Kong) International Service Trade Fair in Chengdu. The fair encouraged enterprises in Chengdu to take advantage of Hong Kong professional services to enhance international competitiveness and expand overseas markets.

Tourism

Chengdu recently introduced a new direct air route between Hong Kong and Chengdu and coordinated with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to promote the new route. The new route creates 60,000 new seats each year for the Chengdu inbound market, and offers Chengdu residents more options to travel in Hong Kong and Macao.

The Macao Government Tourism Office and Air Macao also held a tourism meeting in Chengdu to introduce the latest tourism resources of Macao to the inland industry and provide more discussion opportunities for the travel and tourism industries of both sides.

Education

Chengdu joints its Pan-Pearl River Delta partners to sign the Plan for Construction and Sharing of Pan-Pearl River Delta Education Information Resources. The partners also established guidelines on construction for the project and an online college student employment platform for the Pan-Pearl River Delta region.

The new online platform allows government departments and employers from the participating provinces to obtain information about college graduates within the region. Graduates from the region who are employed in this region can also enjoy preferential employment policies.