Chongqing's Yuzhong district aims to become a world-class consumption hub

The bustling Jiefangbei commercial area in Yuzhong, Chongqing. [photo provided to China.org.cn]

In April 2026, Yuzhong District hosted the Chongqing International Coffee Carnival, drawing participation from Starbucks and Chayan Yuese Tea. On April 30, the "Chaotianmen · City Within a City" project officially opened, marking another milestone in the district's drive to become a global consumption destination.

For 2026, Yuzhong has set ambitious targets: 4.5% growth in retail sales, 7% growth in foreign trade, and 15% growth in actual utilized foreign capital. In the first quarter alone, total retail sales exceeded 40 billion yuan, up 7.2% year on year — the fastest growth rate among all districts in Chongqing.

The district has transformed the historic Ren'ai Hall into the "Jixiang" resort hotel and converted an air-raid shelter into the CAVER bar. It now houses 505 international brands and 682 "first stores" or flagship stores. Its international promotional video, Meet Yuzhong, has garnered 135 million global views, while the number of inbound overnight tourists has doubled.

Yuzhong has built a demonstration zone for payment facilitation, with nearly 7,000 merchants now accepting foreign cards. It is home to 149 tax-refund stores for departing tourists, including 42 "instant refund" stores — the highest number in Chongqing. Since the start of the year, tax refund applications from departing tourists have surged 51.6 times year on year. Supported by the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, local enterprises achieved a total foreign trade volume of 10.24 billion yuan, marking the fastest growth rate in a decade.

The district government has implemented a service commitment of "proactive response, on-call assistance, thoughtful service, and promise-keeping," alongside prudent and inclusive regulation. Key enterprises, including Chongqing Pharmaceutical Group, Maden Apparel, Chongqing Department Store, and Maomaochong E-commerce, have received strong support under this framework.