Today, the city promotional video Keep Running into the Future officially launches worldwide as Chengdu is ready to host the APEC Digital Weeks, including Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting (DMM) and other high-level events from July 16 to 29.

 

This year marks China’s third tenure as an APEC host, and the first time this high-level international gathering has come to central and western China. In July, officials, business leaders, and scholars from the 21 APEC economies will convene in Chengdu to exchange policy perspectives and practical experiences, with a view to advancing tangible cooperation in digital and AI development across region.

 

So why is Chengdu?

 

Chengdu is an ancient capital with over 4,500 years of civilization and more than 2,300 years of history. What sparks will fly when this millennia-old city meets the digital economy and artificial intelligence? The promotional video brings together iconic cultural symbols — giant pandas, the animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2, the blockbuster game Honor of Kings, the ancient irrigation system Dujiangyan, and legendary figures including poet Li Bai, strategist Zhuge Liang, and poetess Xue Tao — all woven into a narrative showcasing Chengdu’s open, inclusive, innovative, and vibrant character.

 

Beyond its cultural heritage, Chengdu has emerged as a powerhouse in China’s digital and AI landscape. In 2025, the city’s AI core industry exceeded RMB 150 billion, maintaining over 35 percent growth for three consecutive years. The city is now home to more than 1,200 AI-related enterprises. Chengdu’s digital economy core industry added value reached RMB 378.86 billion in 2025, up 11 percent year-on-year, accounting for 15.3 percent of the city’s GDP. In the 2026 Forbes China AI Top 50, 11 Chengdu-based companies made the list, ranking fourth among Chinese cities. Chengdu’s computing power has surpassed 20,000 PFlops.

 

In digital cultural creativity, Chengdu’s industry surpassed RMB 410 billion in 2025, securing a leading position nationwide. The animated feature Ne Zha 2, produced by a Chengdu studio, grossed over RMB 15.9 billion at the global box office, while Honor of Kings holds the record for the highest monthly active users of any game worldwide.

 

In advanced display technology, Chengdu ranks third in China, with the industry reaching RMB 109 billion in revenue in 2025. BOE’s 8.6-generation AMOLED production line, with a total investment of approximately RMB 63 billion. As production capacity from key-priority projects comes online, Chengdu-manufactured flexible display panels are expected to capture over 20% of the global market share and more than 50% of China’s domestic market.

 

In future industries, the Chenghua District embodied intelligence robotics cluster has become the only national-level full-industry-chain cluster in western China. Companies like Sichuan Huakun Zhenyu Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., a Chengdu-based computing power leader, exceeded RMB 15 billion in revenue in 2025, driving the provincial computing power industry chain past RMB 30 billion.

 

Leveraging the international exchange opportunities of the APEC “China Year”, Chengdu is opening its arms to the world, warmly welcoming friends from across the globe to explore the streets of Chengdu, exchange ideas on digital innovation, share new opportunities for development, and join hands in racing into a bright digital future.

 

Author：Zhang Liulu

Proofreading：Huang Shuting

Edited by Zhang Yuanlin