Located in Southwest China, Chengdu is well-known as the Land of Abundance and the capital of the province of Sichuan. With a population of over 14 million, it is the fifth most populated city in China. According to the State Council, Chengdu is the most important center of science and technology, trade and finance, the most important hub of transportation and communication in the southwestern part of China.
With its 2,300 years of history, Chengdu has become a major tourist destination that promotes some famous attractions such as the Panda Research Centre, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, the Mount Emei and the Wolong Nature Reserve. In 2007, the city was awarded the "China's Best Tourist City" by the National Tourism Administration and the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Chengdu is often referred to as one of the best cities in China for its quality of life: such a mild climate, a good environment, delicious food and friendly people. As a result, in 2006 the city was ranked first among China’s Top 10 Livable Cities, and both in 2009 and 2010 ranked first among China's Top 10 Happiest Cities. It is not surprising to see people from everywhere in China coming and to settle down in the city; it confirms the common saying that once you are in Chengdu, you are not willing to leave.
Chengdu has a strong economy and a well developed service industry which distinguish itself from many other cities in China. The pillar industries are electronics & information technologies, machinery (including automobile and aerospace), biologic engineering & pharmaceutics, food processing, metallurgy & building materials and petrochemical. Chengdu rates number one in Oriental Outlook Weekly’s 2009 evaluation of Chinese free-market cities where essential expatriate business expectations such as cultural appeal, social harmony, access to quality resources and ease of business transaction are measured. Chengdu was awarded in September 2009 as on of the 10 innovative and pioneering e-commerce cities in China by the China B2B Research Center,in March 2010, Chengdu was named a City of Gastronomy by Unesco, making it one of only three in the world and the only Asian city with the title. in August 2010, Chengdu was ranked third, after Shanghai and Beijing, among 30 mainland cities in the "International Image of Chinese Cities" survey conducted by Gallup Consulting, which polled 8,000 foreigners living on the mainland and abroad, and surpassed Shanghai and Beijing to rank No 1 for hospitality in this survey. Chengdu residents are better equipped to receive expats and foreign visitors, reported Gallup, then in Octorber, Chengdu earned another first placing in Forbes magazine’s analysis of the world’s fastest-growing cities over the next decade.
For the past ten years, foreign investment in the municipality has grown at a double digit rate, that emphasizes the trust of foreign enterprises in the city. In fact, the total foreign investment in Chengdu is the largest in West and Central China. Chengdu’s foreign trade reached US$24.8 billion last year, up 38.7 per cent, with exports rising 32.1 per cent to account for US$13.87 billion.