III. Economy

GDP: 1250.63 billion yuan (2008)

GDP growth rate: 9.5% (2008)

GDP ratio (1st, 2nd and tertiary industries): 5.2, 61.9 and 32.9 percent respectively.

Revenues: 104.18 billion yuan (2008)

Foreign trade :

The volume of import and export was US$22.04 billion in 2008.

Foreign investment:

Located in the hinterland China though, Sichuan has established close links with the rest of the world. An ever-growing number of foreigners are visiting Sichuan. Foreign investment has been fully utilized in such fields as comprehensive agricultural development, transforming state-owned enterprises, construction of infrastructure facilities, hi-tech projects, and tourism. Sichuan is now home to more than 5,000 foreign-funded enterprises.

Over 30 international consortiums and large corporations, including Motorola, Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola, and McDonnell Douglas of the United States; Chit Tat of Thailand; Bayer and Siemens of Germany; and Toyota and Mitsubishi of Japan, have started operations in Sichuan. The President Group, Taiwan’s largest food enterprise, has invested US$50 million and established the Chengdu President Food Co., Ltd, which has become the largest instant food enterprise in southwest China. An investment of 1.28 billion yuan from the Singapore-China-Hong-Kong Group, a union of 41 enterprises of Singapore, China’s mainland and Hong Kong, has financed the construction of the Chengdu-Mianyang Expressway, the first jointly invested expressway in West China.

Pillar industries:

Electronic information industry, machinery, metallurgy, medicine, chemicals, food and beverage, and building materials.

IV. Telecommunication

Telephones: 45.27 million (including mobile phone subscribers) (2008).