Overview of Sichuan Province

Sichuan Province is located in southwestern China, abbreviated as Sichuan or Shu, also known as the "Land of Abundance". It has a total area of 486000 square kilometers and governs 21 cities (prefectures) and 183 counties (cities, districts). It is densely populated and economically developed. Sichuan borders seven provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government), including Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan, Xizang, Qinghai, Gansu and Shaanxi, with rich natural resources and profound cultural heritage.

Sichuan has a long history and culture, and is one of the birthplaces of Chinese Taoism and the birthplace of ancient Shu civilization. During the pre Qin period, it was the territory of the states of Ba and Shu. During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Chuanxia Road was established, and later it was divided into four roads: Yizhou, Zizhou, Lizhou, and Kuizhou, collectively known as Sichuan Road. Sichuan has rich cultural heritage, such as the world's earliest paper currency "Jiaozi", Sichuan brocade, and Sichuan shadow puppetry, all of which are listed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. In addition, ancient Shu civilization sites such as Sanxingdui and Jinsha Site are also important cultural symbols.

Sichuan is rich in natural resources and has multiple world heritage sites and tourist attractions. Sichuan has three world natural heritage sites (Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area, Huanglong, and Giant Panda Habitat), one world cultural heritage site (Qingcheng Mountain Dujiangyan Irrigation Project), and one world cultural and natural heritage site (Mount Emei Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area). In addition, Sichuan has multiple national A-level tourist attractions and abundant wildlife and plant resources.

Sichuan has strong scientific and educational strength, with multiple major regional innovation platforms. Sichuan is one of the eight regions where the national system is promoting comprehensive innovation and reform experiments. It has multiple major regional innovation platforms, including the China (Sichuan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Chengdu National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone, Tianfu New Area, and Mianyang Science and Technology City. There are numerous higher education and research institutions in Sichuan, with 23900 schools of all levels and types, and 134 higher education institutions.

Sichuan has strong economic strength and is one of the three major power equipment manufacturing bases and four major electronic information industry bases in China. In 2023, the regional GDP of Sichuan will reach 6013.29 billion yuan, ranking among the top in the country in terms of total economic output. The industrial structure optimization in Sichuan has resulted in a revenue of 4.03 trillion yuan from the five pillar industries of electronic information, equipment manufacturing, food and beverage, advanced materials, and energy and chemical engineering. In addition, Sichuan is actively promoting the development of emerging industries such as intelligent manufacturing, 5G, blockchain, etc.

The economic overview of Sichuan Province can be summarized as follows: rapid economic development, steady growth in total economic output, continuous optimization of industrial structure, and continuous expansion of investment and consumption markets. ‌

The economic development of Sichuan Province is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

The total economic output continues to grow: In 2023, the regional GDP of Sichuan Province will exceed 6 trillion yuan, with a growth rate of 6%, ranking fifth in the country and first in the western region. In the first three quarters of 2024, the GDP of Sichuan Province was 454.4182 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.3%.

Industrial structure optimization: The industrial structure in Sichuan Province continues to be optimized, with significant development in the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. Among them, the added value of the tertiary industry increased by 5.6% year-on-year, industrial production steadily rebounded, and high-tech industries developed rapidly.

Investment and consumer market expansion: fixed assets investment and consumer goods market in Sichuan are also expanding. In the first three quarters of 2024, fixed assets investment (excluding farmers) in Sichuan increased by 1.9% year on year, and the total retail sales of social consumer goods increased by 4.4% year on year.

In addition, the economic growth of Sichuan Province is also reflected in the following aspects:

Stable development of agriculture: The overall agricultural production in Sichuan Province is stable, with significant increases in the production of agricultural products such as fruits, tea, and vegetables.

Industrial production recovery: Industrial production in Sichuan Province has steadily rebounded, with added value in multiple industrial sectors increasing, especially in high-tech manufacturing, which has grown rapidly.

Stable growth of the service industry: The added value of the service industry in Sichuan Province increased by 5.6% year-on-year, with significant growth in multiple service industries.

In summary, the economy of Sichuan Province has shown strong growth momentum and development potential in multiple aspects, and is expected to continue to maintain stable growth in the future.