OREANDA-NEWS. Recently, People's Government of Chongqing Municipal officially issues the Opinion on Accelerating the Contribution of Trade & Logistic Centre of Upper Yangtze River (hereafter referred to as the Opinion). The Opinion requires that Chongqing will become the trade & logistic centre in the upper Yangtze River and achieve modernized circulation in 2017. Chongqing will have the capacity to attract and gather merchants and the channels extending in all directions. 

The Opinion specifies clearly that in 2017, total retail sales of consumer goods in Chongqing shall be doubled and reach RMB 800 billion, with annual growth rate of 15%; total commodity sales shall be doubled and reach RMB 2400 billion, with annual growth rate of 16%; value added of logistic industry shall be doubled and reach RMB 120 billion, with annual growth rate of 15%. Chongqing will establish three major clusters, i.e. urban core business districts, professional grand market and logistic industry, including 50 urban core business districts, over 20 ten-billion-level grand markets and 8 logistic bases (parks). Among that, there will be 13 grand business districts with 10 billion retail sales and 3 districts with 50 billion retail sales.

It is planned to establish an influential Central Business District (CBD) of Jiangbeizui-Jiefangbei-Danzishi in 2017. In addition, it is scheduled to extend functions of the CBD by developing Central Activity Zone (CAZ). A batch of large activity zones for business, tour and cultural events are to be built so as to satisfy demands for relaxation, shopping, cultural entertainment and fitness. The Opinion also specifies tasks and requirements for seven business fields, including urban core business districts, large wholesale market clusters, exhibition economy, restaurant and hotel industry, convenience-for-people business, modern service industry and electronic commerce.

The Opinion requires the scaling-up of special fund for municipal level business development. The added funds will be used to propel the construction of significant projects such as urban core business districts and grand wholesale market, as well as important commercial projects concerning people's livelihood. Meanwhile, the Government is required to collect 1% of the supporting fee of city construction as the supporting fee of commercial facilities. The expense collected is mainly used to support the commercial infrastructure construction of urban core business centre and community.

In order to reduce the expense of intermediate links, the Opinion proposes to provide enterprises engaged on production and circulation of agricultural products with financial subsidies on interest payment for their mechanical equipment and information system of distribution centre. The subsidy shall be no more than 50% of the investment payment; for commercial logistic enterprises which comply with west development policies, it is allowed to collect business income tax with tax rate of 15%; for wholesale market engaged on agricultural products business exclusively, as well as real estate and land occupied by farmer's market, exempt the building tax and land use charge for 3 years.