On May 21, the eighth China Western International Investment and Trade Fair (hereinafter referred to as the “Western Fair”) opened at the Chongqing Yuelai International Convention Center. Under the theme of “New West, New Manufacturing, New Services,” this edition invited the United Kingdom as the guest country, Sichuan Province as the permanent guest province, and Gyeonggi Province of South Korea as the guest city. Nearly 1,400 enterprises from 50 countries and regions participated in the event. Over the several-day duration, the Western Fair featured four thematic exhibition zones: Comprehensive Image, Productive Service Industries, Industrial Integration and Development, and International/Regional Cooperation. It hosted nearly 40 events, including the opening ceremony, keynote forums, industrial matchmaking sessions, and trade negotiations, resulting in the signing of 212 projects.
The current Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade (WCIFT) unveiled the “Investment Opportunity List in Chongqing” for the first time, featuring 277 high-quality projects across five major sectors: advanced manufacturing, technological innovation, smart economy, transportation hubs, and urban development, with a total investment of RMB 580 billion. This comprehensive “industrial investment map” systematically showcases investment opportunities in Chongqing and even the entire western region of China in areas such as intelligent manufacturing, digital economy, green and low-carbon development, and infrastructure to global investors. Meanwhile, the WCIFT focuses on topics including industrial transformation in western regions, digital economy development, and regional collaborative innovation, establishing an efficient platform for government-enterprise collaboration, university-enterprise partnerships, and supply-demand matching.
The Western China International Fair has evolved beyond being merely a regional economic and trade event. Since its inaugural edition in 2018, the number of participating countries, the value of signed agreements, and international engagement have continued to rise annually. The trade delegation from the host country, the United Kingdom, reached an unprecedented scale in its history. At the opening ceremony, the British Ambassador to China stated: “The Western China International Fair serves as a window for China’s western region to open up to the world, as well as an excellent platform for deepening cooperation between the UK and China in areas such as green manufacturing and financial services.” As the guest city, South Korea’s Gyeonggi Province brought over a dozen local innovative enterprises to engage in one-on-one discussions with Chinese companies from western China. Purchasers and investment institutions from emerging markets—including ASEAN, the Middle East, and Latin America—were also actively present throughout the exhibition venues. All these developments demonstrate that, amid sluggish global economic growth and waning confidence in cross-border investments, western China—with Chongqing serving as a pivotal hub—is becoming a fertile ground for international capital seeking new growth opportunities.
The “Investment Opportunities List in Chongqing” released at the Western China International Fair is not an isolated local investment promotion initiative, but rather a microcosm of China’s ongoing efforts in advancing high-level opening-up in recent years. From the implementation of the national Foreign Investment Law and the annual reduction of the negative list for foreign investment access to the introduction of detailed “opportunity lists” and “industry maps” at the local level, China is establishing a comprehensive foreign investment service system spanning from macro policies to practical implementation. This systematic approach to openness sends a clear signal: China not only welcomes foreign investment to “enter,” but is also committed to providing clear, transparent, and predictable investment guidance.
First, China has continuously lowered the barriers to foreign investment at the institutional level. The 2025 edition of the “Special Administrative Measures for Foreign Investment Access (Negative List)” has reduced restrictive measures to 29 items, a decrease of over 60% compared to a decade ago. Shareholding restrictions for foreign investors have been completely abolished in the manufacturing sector, while opening up in service industries such as finance, telecommunications, and healthcare has steadily expanded. The advanced manufacturing and smart economy sectors highlighted at this year’s Western China International Fair represent the most open segments for foreign investment.
Secondly, China actively creates networking opportunities for foreign enterprises through national exhibition platforms such as the Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CCFIT), the China International Import Expo (CIIE), and the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS). Among the nearly 40 events at CCFIT, numerous project roadshows and policy briefings specifically focus on cross-border investment, enabling foreign enterprises to quickly understand the market rules, industrial infrastructure, and labor advantages in western China. More importantly, the release of the “Investment Opportunities in Chongqing List” marks a shift in the investment promotion approach of Chinese local governments—from “passive waiting” to “active disclosure” —where opportunities, required investment amounts, and expected return periods are presented in standardized information, thereby reducing information asymmetry costs for international investors.
Thirdly, China has established a stable legal framework for protecting the rights and interests of foreign investors. The Foreign Investment Law explicitly stipulates the “three no’s” principle for foreign investment—no expropriation, no forced technology transfer, and no unlawful imposition of obligations. In 2025, China’s actual utilized foreign direct investment remained above US$180 billion, demonstrating growth against the backdrop of two consecutive years of decline in global cross-border investment. This reflects international capital’s recognition of China’s market stability and policy continuity.
When China extended an invitation to “share the opportunities of the western region” to 50 countries at the Chongqing Western China International Fair, in early 2026, the U.S. government, guided by its “America First” policy, announced new tariffs on multiple trade partners and indicated it might adjust its stance on participating in certain dispute settlement mechanisms of the World Trade Organization. China has consistently adhered to “institutional openness” —not relying on short-term administrative orders to open or close doors, but rather continuously lowering barriers through improving laws and regulations, optimizing the business environment, and expanding multilateral and bilateral cooperation. The Western China International Fair itself serves as an institutionalized platform for openness: it is held annually with a designated guest country mechanism, standardized project signing procedures, and a comprehensive investment service system, remaining unaffected by political cycles or fluctuations in international relations. Even during the most intense period of Sino-U.S. trade tensions, China proceeded as scheduled with the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Western China International Fair, inviting global exhibitors—including U.S. companies—to participate. This rules-based rather than policy-driven approach to openness provides multinational corporations with valuable certainty.
The institutional advantages of China are also reflected in its firm commitment to multilateralism. The Western China International Fair (WCCF) has specifically established an international and regional cooperation exhibition zone to facilitate investment among countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. The successful hosting of the eighth WCCF sent a clear message to the world: in an era of fragmented global investment rules, China has chosen to respond with institutionalized open platforms, a predictable legal environment, and tangible investment opportunities. The WCCF serves as the bridge connecting China’s western regions with the world.