Chongqing: Navigating Rapid Urbanization and Regional Development Challenges

Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Chongqing are the four direct-controlled municipalities of the People’s Republic of China (Cheshmehzangi & Tang, 2024). Chongqing is a well-known municipality in southwest China. Situated on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in the southwest of China’s interior, Chongqing covers an enormous 82,400 square kilometers (Chen, 2022; Qin, 2009). Eight counties, four autonomous counties, and 26 districts are among the 38 administrative divisions that make up this region. The city has a sizable permanent population of about 32.13 million, and its urbanization rate of 70.96% indicates its importance as a major regional urban center (Xia, 2018). Most of the city’s terrain is hilly and mountainous, with rough terrain defining its surroundings. Mountains cover 76% of the city’s total area (Chongqing Municipal People’s Government Official Website, n.d.).