Sang Jian, deputy general manager of the Western China International Communication Organization, framed the city’s evolution through the acronym STAND—Specialness, Trade-friendly environment, Advanced Industries, Nature, and Dream and Digit. This roadmap highlighted how Chongqing is leveraging its logistics and digital infrastructure to connect with the ASEAN market. A central component of this strategy is the Yumaotong service platform, which has already onboarded 160 companies to facilitate trade, warehousing, and business matching between Chinese firms and Southeast Asian partners.

Educational and cultural exchanges remain a pillar of this expansion. Yang Jiqiong, vice president of Chongqing Vocational College of Information Technology, detailed new partnerships with Malaysian institutions aimed at training professionals for the international health sciences sector. For attendees like Professor Chan Chee Seng from the University of Malaya, the pivot is clear: Chongqing is transitioning from a tourist curiosity into a viable industrial and commercial partner. By showcasing 11 distinct city brands, the campaign seeks to establish a permanent foundation for bilateral cooperation in automotive manufacturing, legal services, and technology.