Recently, National Development and Reform Commission and Civil Aviation Administration of China have officially approved the establishment of Chengdu Airport Economic Demonstration Zone, another national demonstration zone after Zhengzhou Airport, Qingdao, Chongqing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. It is also another example of a key functional zone in Sichuan Province being promoted to the state level. Its approval will be conducive to further implementing the development strategy with multi-dimension and multi-pole support, promoting coordinated development of economic zones in Chengdu plain, and providing solid foundation for regional economic and social development and the transformation of economic growth models.

　　Wider Internal and External Opening-up
　　Deep Participation in Global Competition

　　According to officials from Sichuan Development and Reform Commission, the establishment of Chengdu Airport Economic Demonstration Zone will facilitate Sichuan Province, as a core part in One Belt One Road Initiative, and Yangtze River Economic Belt, as the important pillar, to play a better role, and enable Sichuan to open wider both internally and externally and be deeply involved in global competition by promoting investment and trade facilitation and strengthening the construction of international airports, thus accelerating the formation of a new phase of all-round opening-up; it will benefit Sichuan in implementing the development strategy with multi-dimension and multi-pole support, stepping up efforts to forge new drivers of regional economic development, and achieving interactive development among the demonstration zone, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport and Tianfu New Area, so as to give impetus to coordinated and innovative development of city clusters in Chengdu and generate an emerging growth pole for the opening-up in mid-west regions; it also helps Sichuan to accelerate to build a national center, develop airport economy by taking full advantage of the position of Shuangliu International Airport as a regional aviation hub, and foster and strengthen high-end aerial manufacturing and services clusters, so as to transform Chengdu into an active part in international industrial and trade cooperation, upgrade the diplomatic function of western Chengdu, and further enhance its international influence and competitiveness.

　　Five Functional Zones
　　Four Functions

　　Located in Shuangliu District of Chengdu, the demonstration zone covers an area of approximately 100.4 square kilometers with Shuangliu International Airport as the center, including Airport Functional Zone, Functional Zone for High-end Aerial Manufacturing, Functional Zone for Aerial Logistics and Port Trade, Functional Zone for Aerial Services, and Functional Zone for Ecological Conservation. Chengdu Airport Economic Demonstration Zone has been endowed with four functional functions. It is an innovative land for aerial economy, an aggregate for high-end aerial industries, a pioneer zone for inland opening-up, as well as a new airport city for ecological wisdom. The demonstration zone, in accordance with its strategic functions, has set up both short-term and long-term development goals. By 2020, it will become an international aviation hub and an airport economic demonstration zone which leads the west and influences the whole country with upgraded functions as airport and open portal and high-end aerial manufacturing system formed; and by 2015, as its pivotal role is reinforced and the economic industrial system become mature, the demonstration zone will build industrial clusters for aerial manufacturing, services and logistics, with regional GDP exceeding 80 billion yuan.

　　Five Tasks

　　According to its functions, five tasks have been framed for the development of the demonstration zone. First, an international aviation hub will be established to bridge the One Belt One Road Initiative with Yangtze Rive Economic Belt so as to build an important portal open to the western world; second, an economic innovative land will be constructed in order to fully enhance self-innovative capabilities and sustainability, absorb global innovative resources and foster an open phase for world-oriented innovation and entrepreneurship; third, a high-end industrial system of aviation will be forged with key on manufacturing and service clusters; fourth, a pioneer zone for inland opening-up will be established so as to further develop a pioneer zone for inland open cooperation and a demonstration zone for the transformation of trade development by facilitating customs clearance, upgrading trade development, and promoting open development of the tertiary industry; fifth, a new ecological airport city will be built to improve urban smart management, strengthen ecological conservation, and forge an innovative model airport city featuring ecological wisdom.

　　In order to ensure the demonstration zone is constructed in a solid and orderly manner, a working mechanism for the coordinated work of provincial and municipal levels will be created, which requires Sichuan Development and Reform Commission, together with Chengdu municipal government and relevant provincial parties, to draw a blueprint for the development of the demonstration zone, formulate and issue supporting policies, apply for policy support from the country, and actively propel innovative and green development of the demonstration zone.