One month after its official launch on April 16, the SkyShuttle train still excites onlookers as it speeds through the Bishan district of the southwestern city of Chongqing. 

The SkyShuttle is the first project of its kind in China, featuring electric-powered, unmanned, fully automatic trains that run across 15.4 km of elevated rails. Developed by leading Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturer BYD, the SkyShuttle is designed to further reduce congestion in the City of Hills — which already has a well-established metro network.

"The metro lines are like major veins, while the SkyShuttle lines are like capillaries," Liang Lizhong, vice manager of Chongqing SkyShuttle Rail Traffic Operation and Management, told China.org.cn. "The SkyShuttle has been built considering local population scale, and helps Bishan residents connect to the metro and city rail, enjoy the local landscapes and parks, and ease traffic jams."

In the future, the SkyShuttle will also be fitted with the new Blade Battery developed under BYD's sub-brand FinDreams. According to staff in FinDreams' battery factory in Chongqing on Monday, the Blade Battery has several advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries, including exceptional safety, longer life and high endurance. The new battery is already in use in one of BYD's pure electric vehicles. 

BYD is one of the best examples of how Chongqing is supporting the high-tech industry and innovation. The municipality is working hard to help Bishan district become a high-tech hub and to quickly transform high-tech achievements into commercial applications. In Bishan, the smart manufacturing and information technology industries are leading the way. 

At an incubator and pilot test center under the Chongqing Institute of High-tech Industry, a wide range of high-tech products are currently undergoing testing. The center, which entered into operation last year, has so far incubated around a dozen high-tech companies, covering smart manufacturing, new energy technology and other fields. It has also attracted more than 100 R&D personnel, while the total value of orders of incubating companies has exceeded 100 million yuan.

Yin Kaifeng, head of the comprehensive management department at the Chongqing Institute of High-tech Industry, explained to China.org.cn that the district has been accelerating construction of a sci-tech innovation system in recent years. It has done so by improving the innovation environment, and focusing heavily on original innovations, basic research and the incubation of sci-tech results. While attracting leading high-tech enterprises and new start-ups to the district, the local government is also encouraging traditional manufacturing companies to undergo smart upgrades, and build R&D centers.

"Bishan district is transforming scientific and technological achievements in a targeted manner," Yin said. "It's also building a platform for the industrialization of specialized achievements to realize the coupling of the five chains of value, benefits, technology, finance and talents, making it the first district to do so in China."

Last October, the local government issued a raft of policies aimed at encouraging innovation, and awarded up to 10 million yuan to enterprises that implement innovations as well as support high-tech financing by establishing several investment funds. The district has also published various preferential policies and a fast-track green channel to attract high-level professionals.

So far, Bishan has nurtured 27 new-type independent enterprise R&D centers and 822 sci-tech-related companies, of which 239 are high-tech enterprises. A further 172 labs, tech centers, research institutes and expert workshops have been attracted to the district to enhance its tech and innovation strength. 

Meanwhile, construction of the Western (Chongqing) Science City — Bishan Innovative Eco-Community, is also underway in Chongqing. Covering a total area of 300,000 square meters, it will bring together such functions as R&D, incubation, exhibitions, offices, manufacturing and public amenities, to create an optimal environment for innovators and start-ups. The first phase, with a construction area of 130,000 square meters, opened in October 2020.

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