Singapore and China's western province of Sichuan jointly broke the ground on a commercially-driven flagship cooperation project named Singapore-Sichuan High-Tech Innovation Park in May 2012.
China, who shall be able to survive the middle income trap even if it achieves only sustained middle growth over the coming decade, is expected to look to the vast inland west for potential growth, Zheng said.
"Faster economic development will also help reduce problems such as the social and ethnic issues," he said, highlighting the growth potentials of cities such as Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi'an and Urumqi.
Liu Shiqing, director-general of West China Development Research Center, said that the gaps across the different geographical locations in China can also be drivers of further growth.
"The inland provinces have been leading the growth in China over the five years since 2008. I think the inland west will gradually move closer to the coastal east, even though the numerical differences may even widen due to the effect of a larger base," she said.
While the inland west is growing faster, the coastal areas, like the city of Shenzhen, are already at a stage where further reforms are pondered upon for the society to be sustainable, she added.
Second-tier cities like Chengdu are also attracting young talents with its career opportunities, good weather and lifestyle, Liu said.
China's inland west nowadays have certain advantages compared with the coastal areas in the past as they don't have to worry so much about the funds for infrastructure and the mentality of the government officials are also more up-to-date, Zheng said.
Feedback
RSS
