A gathering place for people for at least 4000 years, Chengdu – literally translated as 'becoming capital’ – is the only major city in China not to have changed its name or location in the past two millennia. Today, with a population of 14 million people, the capital of the Sichuan province is positioning itself as the financial hub of western China, but it is facing stiff competition from neighbouring cities, including Chongqing and Xi’an.
The city's financial district, Chengdu Financial City (CFC), has already attracted 61 financial institutions, double that of Chongqing, and investment beyond Rmb40bn ($6.2bn) with 13 financial institution headquarters, nine exchanges, 36 other financial agencies and three administrative authorities. Of the 61 institutions, 20 have come from outside the region.
