In the Northern Song Dynasty, the 18-year-old prodigy Wang Ximeng created the over 11-meter-long landscape masterpiece "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains," which used green mineral pigments to depict mountains that have retained their color for a millennium, making it a treasured possession of the Palace Museum. More than 900 years later, the verdant tea mountains of Ya'an, shrouded in morning mist, are traversed by high-speed trains, creating a real-life version of this painting where traditional Chinese aesthetics meet modern speed, becoming a sensation this spring and attracting visitors from home and abroad.
Ya'an is no stranger to "sensation." From the world-famous caviar, the ancient village on a cliff, the 1,700-year-old zhennan king tree, to the world's first panda scientifically discovered over 150 years ago, "trending" elements from different eras continue to redefine the unique green of this land. However, as the tide of attention recedes, deeper questions emerge. At the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, with AI reshaping industries, new energy rewriting regional dynamics, and the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle ascending in scale, how will Ya'an, known as the "Throat of Western Sichuan," redefine its green?
The shift from "just this green" to "valuable green" reflects a fundamental change in development logic. Green should no longer be merely a scenic gift from nature but the robust foundation of regional development. In Q1, Ya'an's GDP grew by 6.4% year-on-year, ranking fifth in Sichuan province, with its primary industry growth rate leading the province, demonstrating an acceleration beyond its own pace.
The core question is how to convert ecological value into a driver for prosperity, making this green not only enduring but also more "valuable" in contemporary competition—a critical challenge the gentle "Rain City" must confront.
Unfolding the Scroll: Leveraging Landscape Examining Ya'an's full map reveals a striking fact: nearly half of its territory is green mountains and clear waters. The Giant Panda National Park occupies nearly 40% of the city's area. Established in 2021, Ya'an, with the largest designated area, highest municipal proportion, and most reintroduced pandas, is a core member of this national ecological layout. As the "Lungs of Tianfu," its forest coverage consistently ranks first in the province. In 2025, Ya'an's air quality topped the list among national key cities, with 100% excellent water quality at its 10 national and provincial monitoring sections.
However, behind these high scores lies a prolonged challenge. Ecological red lines are inviolable, environmental responsibilities are immense, yet traditional industries rely on resources, scale, and efficiency. A more pressing issue is Ya'an's relatively small economic size and weak industrial base. Beneath the green mountains and clear waters, how can it secure a "golden rice bowl"?
This is not a new problem but a frequent one across various sectors in Ya'an, an "ecological dialectic" concerning its future. Ya'an's approach is to "leverage"—using ingenuity to maximize small resources by riding larger trends.
With a small economic scale, it leverages major projects to unlock industrial dividends. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Ya'an will seize investment opportunities from projects like the Yaxia Hydropower Project and the Yinda-Jimin Water Transfer Project, striving to be included in the national logistics hub network and the national logistics hub economic zone. "Equipment manufacturing is Ya'an's most promising industry. We are closely monitoring the needs of the Yaxia Hydropower Project, focusing on building the Sichuan-Tibet Economic Cooperation Equipment Manufacturing Industrial Park, and vigorously introducing clean energy equipment and engineering machinery manufacturing projects," said Liao Wenbin, Secretary of the Ya'an Municipal Party Committee, in a media interview during the National Two Sessions. The Yaxia Hydropower Project, with an investment of about 1.2 trillion yuan, is the world's largest hydropower project. Its massive scale will multiply social investment, driving rapid development in equipment manufacturing, logistics, trade, and services, releasing a series of industrial dividends.
With a weak foundation, it leverages significant spatial and temporal advantages to fill supply gaps. Ya'an, based on its mission to build the Sichuan-Tibet Economic Cooperation Pilot Zone, has established the Ya'an Clean Energy Equipment Industrial Park in its Economic Development Zone with an investment of about 1.54 billion yuan, aiming for a trillion-yuan advanced materials and new energy industry cluster. "The project team is leveraging our hydropower construction expertise to transition into new energy equipment like wind and solar power, and we have already received many orders," said Shan Zhijun, on-site project manager at PowerChina Chengdu Engineering Corporation Limited. The park, based in the Sichuan-Tibet Economic Cooperation Pilot Zone, can accommodate manufacturing for four major clean energy sectors—hydropower, photovoltaic, wind power, and energy storage—aiming to become a core equipment supply base for the Sichuan-Tibet Railway construction and clean energy development along the route, filling the clean energy equipment supply gap in western Sichuan.
To go far, it partners with excellent collaborators to meet new market demands. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Ya'an has set a new overall positioning: "accelerating the construction of a provincial pioneer in green development and a new highland for opening up westward from Chengdu-Chongqing." It is speeding up the development of a comprehensive transportation hub in western Sichuan, with "integrating eastward into Chengdu" as the main direction for opening up and cooperation. In June, the China Health and Wellness Conference will be held in Ya'an. Against the backdrop of the "Healthy China" strategy, Ya'an is promoting the deep integration of health with elderly care, tourism, and culture. Leveraging its location as the "back garden of Chengdu-Chongqing," it is becoming the preferred destination for health and wellness needs from the Chengdu-Chongqing region. The Ya'an Science and Innovation Ecological Island, as the first municipal-level branch island of the Chengdu Science and Innovation Ecological Island in Sichuan, has become an important carrier for technological innovation and transformation in Ya'an. Additionally, Ya'an will host the 2026 Sichuan Provincial Public Fitness Table Tennis Open and Sichuan-Chongqing Table Tennis Friendship Tournament, as well as the Sichuan Provincial Youth Table Tennis Open.
Refining the Ink: Specialization and Precision To identify an enduring "green" among the peaks, Ya'an must look inward, refining its unique "ink." Unable to be a "giant," Ya'an avoids blind imitation, targeting differentiated tracks and specializing in niche areas to become an irreplaceable "single champion."
Building on unique ecological advantages, it deepens value conversion. "In less than three years, Ya'an's caviar production capacity will reach 650 tons, rising to half of the global total," said Qu Lianshi, Deputy Director of the Ya'an Agricultural Science Research and Industrial Integration Development Center. Supporting this growth is the "Tianfu Caviar Industrial Cluster," a characteristic industrial chain focused on quality improvement and capacity expansion. Beyond caviar, Ya'an leads the province in sturgeon and salmon trout production, with caviar and sturgeon meat exports generating $19.11 million. By maximizing the use of cold water resources, the scope of the "new Ya'an fish" is expanding through tangible economic transactions.
With abundant hydropower resources, it positions itself early in green computing. Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the first batch of cities for the "Millisecond Computing" special action, with only Chengdu and Ya'an from Sichuan included. The core of this action is to upgrade computing power from "well-built" to "well-utilized." "We seized this opportunity due to early planning," explained Yang Liuzhou, Deputy Director of the Ya'an Municipal Bureau of Data. Ya'an's average annual temperature is 16.2°C. Over a decade of early planning and ample electricity supply enable the efficient operation of 45,000 cabinets at the China-Ya'an Big Data Industrial Park. Currently, Ya'an ranks second in the province for computing infrastructure and first for computing efficiency. This inclusion not only injects momentum into "Digital Ya'an" but also strengthens the computing hub function in western Sichuan. Future scenarios like smart manufacturing, e-government, and telemedicine will utilize "Ya'an computing power."
Numerous "little giants" are emerging in this land. Yaan Xiao Hang Electric Appliance Co., Ltd., a national-level specialized and sophisticated "little giant" enterprise in Yucheng District, focuses on new energy heavy-duty truck parts, aiming for a 50% penetration rate in the new energy heavy-duty truck sector. Amid fierce competition in the solid-state battery field, Sichuan Zhongya Technology's energy storage project acts like a giant power bank, using "two charges and two discharges" to balance peak and off-peak loads, benefiting from an annual electricity price difference of about 600,000 kWh. Sichuan Jian'an Industry, over six decades old, has transitioned to new energy vehicle chassis, selling 40,000 units of its second-generation electric drive axle "mini-hit," which holds the top national market share in the mini-vehicle sector, becoming a new growth driver for the company. Yahua Lithium Industry, which started in explosives, is expanding overseas with advanced materials. Currently, Ya'an has 83 specialized and sophisticated enterprises at various levels.
Instead of seeking size and comprehensiveness, Ya'an focuses on deepening niche tracks. With the patience of "refining ink," it strives to transform ecological and resource advantages into irreplaceable industrial competitiveness.
Entering the Painting: Upgrading and Integration Landscapes in a painting are merely fleeting glimpses without a structural backbone. For Ya'an, to truly convert "green appeal" into "economic value," it cannot rely solely on scattered "hits" but must break through by building a stable framework supporting high-quality development.
The key lies in "clustering chains into groups" and "industrial upgrading." Facing the "exam" of the 15th Five-Year Plan, Ya'an's solution is clear and resolute: breaking the deadlock with a "cluster-chain mindset" and implementing the "Nine Major Actions."
First, "clustering." Instead of "scattering resources," it consolidates efforts. "We emphasize leading enterprises to activate cluster effects," said Yu Li, Director of the Ya'an Development and Reform Commission. Ya'an adheres to the principle of "one project leveraging one chain, one leader driving one cluster," focusing on advantageous industrial chains like clean energy, big data, and green building materials to precisely attract leading projects. For example, it promotes the construction of the Green Building Materials Industrial Park in the Sichuan-Tibet Economic Cooperation Pilot Zone, guiding the industry toward high-end and clustered development. Leveraging high-quality cold water resources, it accelerates the creation of a complete caviar industry chain from breeding and processing to cultural tourism. Currently, Ya'an has 83 specialized and sophisticated enterprises, including 8 national-level "little giants," ranking eighth in the province, with 90% concentrated in leading industries, achieving a leap from single-point breakthroughs to "clustering chains into groups."
Furthermore, Ya'an is vigorously building a "4+4" modern industrial system, a "5+5" modern agricultural system, and a "7+4" modern service industry system. From hundred-billion-yuan tea and bamboo industrial chains to leading provincial industries like lithium batteries and computing power, Ya'an is fostering industrial agglomeration and value addition through "building circles and strengthening chains," bringing upstream and downstream enterprises together in physical space and creating chemical reactions of value.
It implements industrial acceleration and efficiency enhancement actions. Focusing on "rebuilding industrial Ya'an," it uses a "cluster-chain mindset" to expand four characteristic industrial clusters: advanced materials, equipment manufacturing, clean energy, and food and textiles, while cultivating new drivers like low-altitude economy and new energy storage. It strengthens enterprise gradient cultivation, supports key enterprises in growing stronger, and enhances the carrying capacity of parks like the Ya'an Economic Development Zone.
Second, "upgrading." Rejecting low-end repetition, it pursues value leaps. Whether through the "intelligent transformation and digital upgrade" of traditional industries or the "green power direct connection" of emerging industries, Ya'an is pushing industries toward high-end, intelligent, and green development. Huang Yonggang, Party Secretary and Director of the Ya'an Economic and Information Technology Bureau, explained that Ya'an regards "intelligent transformation and digital upgrade" as a key driver for industrial transformation, innovating the "Ya'an Cloud + Alliance + Center + Company" model. It coordinates the implementation of three actions—"Equipment Installation Lights," "Cloud Factory," and "AI Empowerment"—completing online diagnostics for all above-scale industrial enterprises. Currently, 75% of above-scale industrial enterprises in the city have undergone digital transformation, with 15 typical application scenarios developed. Next, Ya'an will deepen digital transformation actions with the approach of "improving quality, achieving full coverage, and setting benchmarks," aiming for a 100% digital transformation rate among above-scale industrial enterprises by 2027.
Additionally, Ya'an implements service industry revitalization and capacity expansion actions. It focuses on addressing shortcomings in producer services like modern logistics and modern finance, promoting their development toward specialization and high-end levels. It enhances the quality of consumer services like cultural tourism, sports, healthcare, and elderly care, strengthens the sports event industry, and promotes high-quality real estate development to meet diverse housing needs.
Finally, "implementation." All strategies must ultimately be grounded in "practical action." 2026 is Ya'an's year for industrial breakthrough. Ya'an implements actions to serve enterprises, people's livelihoods, and grassroots levels. It optimizes the business environment with a focus on cost control and improves enterprise contact and service mechanisms. It precisely allocates public service resources to secure the bottom line of people's livelihoods. It effectively reduces burdens and empowers grassroots levels to stimulate vitality. Lan Mingyuan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ya'an Municipal Party Committee and Director of the Policy Research Office, explained that this year, Ya'an has distilled a new era city spirit through extensive consultation: "Cherish Green, Embrace Elegance, Achieve Prosperity Through Practical Action." It calls on Ya'an's people to harbor "elegant hearts," plan "elegant endeavors," and, most importantly, take up the pen of practical action to perform "elegant deeds." "Cherish Green, Embrace Elegance, Achieve Prosperity Through Practical Action" is the essence of this painting.
How to make this green "valuable"? The answer lies in the roar of "clustering chains into groups" and the leap of "industrial upgrading." Ya'an is entering the painting with practical action as its brush, ensuring that this green not only possesses timeless appeal but also the robust strength to enrich its people and strengthen the city. Is it worth it? Time will tell.
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