Crime down in Chongqing: Party chief

Chongqing's Party Chief Sun Zhengcai said violent crime in the southwestern municipality dropped 14.2 percent last year compared with the previous year, and the society is stable.

The city experienced turbulent moments in 2013, when Bo Xilai, the former Party chief, was sentenced to life imprisonment for bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.

Sun said urban residents' annual income increased 9.8 percent, and the income of residents in rural areas increased 12.8 percent.

The total import and export volume increased 29.2 percent.

Looking to the coming year, Sun said the municipality will stick to its strategy of developing each of the city's five parts according to their characteristics.

For example, towns and counties in the southeast part of the municipality will continue to focus on environment preservation to attract tourists.

Sun also said Chongqing is seeking to join the development of the New Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st century maritime Silk Road, encouraging regional cooperation.

The municipal government will also focus on urbanization, he said.

In 1997, a quarter of Chongqing's population lived in urban areas.

"About 58 percent of Chongqing residents live in the city now," Sun said.

That number is expected to grow to 70 percent by 2020. Chongqing has a population of nearly 30 million.