Yibin Sanjiang New Area, approved by the People's Government of Sichuan Province on February 18, 2020, is the first provincial-level new area in Sichuan. With a planned area of 389 square kilometers and an actual jurisdiction of 420 square kilometers, it governs 4 sub-districts and 2 towns. It features multiple open development platforms, such as national economic and technological development zones, comprehensive bonded zones, national temporary open ports, and the China (Sichuan) Pilot Free Trade Zone Yibin Collaborative Reform Pilot Zone. It has a permanent resident population of 380,000, with a built-up area of 53 square kilometers. Since its establishment, the area's regional GDP has maintained an average annual growth rate of over 20%. It has earned numerous honors, including the National Civil Service Organization Enjoying People's Satisfaction, National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Demonstration Base, National Demonstration Base for New Industrialization of the Electronic Information Industry, National Industrial Transformation and Upgrading Demonstration Zone, and National Base for Foreign Trade Transformation and Upgrading. With main economic indicators ranking among the top four provincial new areas, it has achieved quality improvement and ranked 15th in China according to CCID Consulting's list of the 100 urban new areas with the most development potential. In the 2022 evaluation of the comprehensive development level of national economic and technological development zones, Lingang Economic Development Zone improved its quality for the fourth consecutive year, surpassing Xi'an Economic and Technological Development Zone to rank 22nd nationally and 1st in western China.
Origin of the Name
The name "Yibin Sanjiang New Area" was chosen considering multiple factors, such as its culture, history, geographical location, and functions.
From a historical perspective, Yibin boasts a long history and splendid culture. It is listed in the second batch of national historical and cultural cities announced by the State Council. During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, the indigenous people of Yibin were the Bo people. "Marquis of the Bo People" and the "Bohou State" were mentioned in historical records such as the Records of the Grand Historian, the Book of Han, and the Chronicles of Huayang. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the Bo people established the Bohou State, centered around present-day Yibin at the junction of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou, and it was governed by the Shu Kingdom. In the Qin Dynasty, the first county-level administrative region, Bodao County, was established in Yibin. In the sixth year of Empress Gao's reign in the Western Han Dynasty (182 BC), Bodao City was constructed in the alluvial fan area at Sanjiangkou, where the Yangtze River, Jinsha River, and Minjiang River converge. It served as the administrative center of Bodao County and is historically known as Sanjiangkou Bodao City. Going through the Eastern and Western Han dynasties, the Three Kingdoms period, Northern and Southern dynasties, the Sui Dynasty, and the second year of the Huichang era in the Tang Dynasty (842), it took 1024 years for Bodao County to be relocated to Jiuzhouba on the north bank of the Minjiang River. In the thirteenth year of the Zhiyuan era in the Yuan Dynasty (1276), Xuzhou and Yibin County were moved to the former site of Bodao City at Sanjiangkou. Historically known as Yibin City at Sanjiangkou, it remained there for 744 years through the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the Republic of China. "Sanjiang" embodied the profound history of Yibin City.
Geographically, the new area is named "Sanjiang New Area" for its high geographical recognition, as it is situated at the confluence of the Yangtze River, Jinsha River, and Minjiang River.
History
On December 18, 2009, the Yibin Lingang Economic and Technological Development Zone was officially established.
On January 17, 2013, the General Office of the State Council issued the Reply on Upgrading Sichuan Yibin Lingang Economic Development Zone to a National Economic and Technological Development Zone (GBH [2013] No. 13), approving its upgrade and naming it Yibin Lingang Economic and Technological Development Zone, where policies for national economic and technological development zones shall be implemented.
In September 2019, Yibin City initiated the application to establish the Yibin Sanjiang New Area.
From September to November 2019, leaders from Yibin City and the Sichuan Provincial Development and Reform Commission conducted research in Zhejiang Province. Under the commission's guidance, they repeatedly studied, revised, and submitted the Overall Plan for Yibin Sanjiang New Area (Draft for Review).
At the end of November 2019, the People's Government of Yibin Municipality officially submitted the Request for Instructions on Establishing Yibin Sanjiang New Area to the People's Government of Sichuan Province.
On February 18, 2020, it was approved by the People's Government of Sichuan Province in its Reply on Approving the Establishment of Yibin Sanjiang New Area (CFH [2020] No. 32).
On March 8, 2020, the Sichuan Provincial Development and Reform Commission officially issued the Overall Plan for Yibin Sanjiang New Area (CFGDQ [2020] No. 114).
On November 27, 2020, the Territorial Spatial Planning of Yibin Sanjiang New Area (2020-2035) passed an expert review.
On December 1, 2020, the Overall Development Plan of Yibin Sanjiang New Area was officially issued.
Administrative Division
Yibin Sanjiang New Area administers four sub-districts and two towns. The Management Committee of Yibin Sanjiang New Area is located at No. 9, Shaping Road, Guoxing Avenue, Baishawan Sub-district.
Geographic Advantages
The area boasts a superior strategic location and a sound transportation system. Situated at the central peak of Tianfu New Area, Liangjiang New Area, Dianzhong New Area, and Gui'an New Area, Yibin Sanjiang New Area is a hub where multiple national strategies are implemented, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, Yangtze River Economic Belt, the strategy for boosting the development of China's western region in the new era, and the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle. It is a core area among China's 63 comprehensive transportation cities, 50 railway hub cities, and 66 regional circulation nodes. It is a junction for the Beijing-Kunming and Lanzhou-Guangzhou HSR lines in China's "eight vertical and eight horizontal" high-speed rail network. Planned transportation includes the Chongqing-Kunming High-Speed Railway, Chengdu-Zigong-Yibin High-Speed Railway, Yibin-Luzhou Expressway, Yibin-Luzhou-Yongchuan Expressway, and Nanxi-Neijiang Expressway. Yibin Sanjiang New Area is home to Sichuan's largest inland river hub, Yibin Port, and is 15 kilometers from Yibin Wuliangye Airport. Its inbound railway has been put into operation, forming a complete network integrating railway, highway, waterway, and air transportation. It is known as a frontier opening-up railway port in southern Sichuan, an international highway logistics port in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, and a transit hub water transport port in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
Strategic Positioning
Yibin Sanjiang New Area upholds the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and thoroughly implements the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and President Xi Jinping's important instructions during his visit to Sichuan and Yibin. It also adheres to the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council, the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, the People's Government of Sichuan Province, the CPC Yibin Municipal Committee, and the People's Government of Yibin Municipality. Fully and faithfully implementing the new development philosophy on all fronts, the area is earnestly practicing the overall guidance, overall approach, and overall thinking for building a modern socialist Sichuan. Upholding the principle of "stability as the top priority, seeking progress while maintaining stability, improving quality and advancing to higher levels, and making greater contributions," the area strives to explore new paths, set examples, take on heavy responsibilities and seek breakthroughs, with a focus on integrating industry and urban development. It is committed to promoting the agglomeration of industries and establishing a demonstration zone for green development, modern industry innovation, national-level industry-education integration, southward opening-up and cooperation for Sichuan, and common prosperity, aiming to grow into the third national new area along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
Industrial Development
Efforts have been made to develop blue and green industrial chains and circles. Guided by new industrialization, the area focuses on the new blue ocean of digital economy and the green new energy industry. It has taken solid steps to promote the "Double Ten Billion Initiative" in manufacturing, with 64 power battery projects signed in leading industries like power batteries, intelligent terminals, high-end equipment manufacturing, and medical devices, totaling approximately RMB 151.8 billion in investment. Additionally, 6 battery cell projects, with a total investment of RMB 64 billion, and 2 vehicle projects of Kaiyi Auto and Yirui, with a planned annual output of 150,000 vehicles, were signed. Furthermore, 232 intelligent terminal projects were signed, with a total investment of RMB 80 billion. Through these projects, it has promoted the extension of the power battery industry into the new energy vehicle and energy storage sectors, while expanding the intelligent terminal industry into the information services sector. In 2023, the output value of power batteries, intelligent terminals, high-end equipment manufacturing, and medical devices exceeded RMB 85 billion, 55 billion, and 7 billion, respectively, with growth rates of 21.9%, 16.5%, and 54.1%.
Industry-Education Integration
The University Town and Sci-Tech Innovation City provides platforms to drive development through technological innovation. Adhering to the principle of building a city around universities and revitalizing industries through education, the area has further promoted the deep integration of industry with education, urban development, and talent. It has planned an 18-square-kilometer University Town and Sci-Tech Innovation City (Higher Education Park) with high standards. A total of 12 universities have been established, such as Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, and Southwest University, where 85 key majors are available to meet industrial needs, including power batteries, intelligent terminals, and high-end equipment manufacturing. The number of college students in the area has surpassed 100,000. Through the platform of the Sci-Tech Innovation City, the area has successfully introduced 3 academician workstations (innovation centers), including the Prof. Ouyang Minggao Academician Workstation, built 13 industrial research institutes, such as the Yangtze River Economic Zone Research Institute of RUC, and established 45 R&D platforms at or above the provincial level, including the Sichuan Power Battery Industry Innovation Center and the Sichuan Advanced Power Technology Innovation Center for New Energy Vehicles. The area is home to 114 national high-tech enterprises and has registered 231 national technology-based SMEs.
Core for Development
Core Area: Yibin Lingang Economic and Technological Development Zone
Yibin Lingang Economic and Technological Development Zone was officially established on December 18, 2009. In January 2013, it was upgraded to a national economic and technological development zone under the approval of the State Council, becoming the first national economic and technological development zone in southern Sichuan. In June 2016, it was designated as a demonstration development zone for the transformation and upgrading of the Yangtze River Economic Belt by the National Development and Reform Commission. With a total planned area of 213 square kilometers, it governs three sub-districts, including Baishawan Sub-district, Shaping Sub-district, and Shuangcheng Sub-district. The zone primarily encompasses several functional areas, including Yibin University Town, Sci-Tech Innovation City, Eastern Industrial Park, Comprehensive Bonded Zone, Intelligent Terminal Industrial Park, CRRC Railway Investment Intelligent Rail Transit Industrial Park, and New Energy Vehicle Industrial Park. It has been awarded multiple honors, such as the National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Demonstration Base, National Demonstration Base for New Industrialization of the Electronic Information Industry, National Demonstration Logistics Park, and National Base for Foreign Trade Transformation and Upgrading. In 2022, Lingang Economic Development Zone improved its ranking in the evaluation of the comprehensive development level of national economic and technological development zones, entering the top 30 for the first time, ranking 29th in China, 1st in Sichuan, and 2nd in western China.
In 2022, Lingang Economic Development Zone achieved a regional GDP of RMB 31.5 billion, marking a year-on-year increase of 25.5%.
Core Area: Yangtze River Industrial Park
Located in Songjia Town, Yangtze River Industrial Park was established in October 2014 and commenced construction on October 30, 2016. In January 2019, it was incorporated into the "One Core and Three Parks" initiative of Yibin High-tech Industrial Development Zone. On January 28, 2023, it was recognized as one of the first Pilot Zones for Four-Sphere Advancement and Urban-Rural Integration in Yibin. The pilot zone's spatial planning aligns with the central, provincial, and municipal governments' requirements for four-sphere advancement and urban-rural integration. It scientifically manages the deep integration between informatization and industrialization, positive interaction between industrialization and urbanization, and coordination between urbanization and agricultural modernization, promoting the integration of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. In terms of spatial layout, the zone is functionally divided according to the model of "One Core, Two Towns, and One Ring." The "One Core" refers to the Yangtze River Industrial Park and its surrounding areas, emphasizing the leading role of modern industries. The "Two Towns" consist of the Northern Town and the Southern Town, with the Northern Town relying on Lizhuang Town's riverside expansion to create a rural town that integrates culture and tourism, while the Southern Town centers around Songjia Town and the newly planned area to enhance comprehensive services and build an industry-city integration modern town. The "One Ring" represents the modern agricultural ring surrounding the core area, deeply interpreting urban-rural integration and aesthetically pleasing rural life, thus promoting the "Double Belt and Double Axis Development along the Yangtze River."
In 2022, the Yangtze River Industrial Park achieved an industrial output value of RMB 20 billion, with power batteries contributing RMB 1.5 billion, marking a significant breakthrough.