The fall of disgraced former Communist Party high-flier Bo Xilai has put the economy of Chongqing, the southwestern mega-city he ruled from 2007 until March this year, under the microscope.
A gross domestic product that nudged past 1 trillion yuan ($158.5 billion) in 2011 means Chongqing’s economy accounts for just over 2% of the national total. But a massive population (more than 29 million at last count) and strategic position as gateway to China’s west give it an outsize importance.
So just how does Chongqing’s economy work? And what do people mean when they talk about a “Chongqing model?” Charts after the jump. Read More »