Chongqing remains committed to environmental protection while balancing development and conservation efforts, local officials said at a group interview for Chinese and foreign journalists in the southwestern municipality on Monday.

"Chongqing has consistently placed a high priority on the protection of the Yangtze River, with a focus on enhancing the ecological quality of the basin and supporting high-quality development through stringent protection measures," said Yu Guodong, director of the Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.

Located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Dam area, Chongqing serves as "the last ecological barrier checkpoint for the upper reaches and an indispensable ecological security shield for the middle and lower reaches," Yu said.

The municipality has been implementing an integrated protection strategy, emphasizing the systematic management of mountains, waters, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands and sands. These projects are expected to be completed this year, contributing significantly to ecological conservation, industrial upgrading and economic development in the dam area, he said.

Yu cited the transformation of Tengzigou in Shizhu county into a base for artistic sketching through wetland restoration efforts as an example of ecological protection driving cultural and creative industries. He also noted that the Tongbo River in Liangping district has been named a national model for beautiful rivers and lakes, thanks to cross-regional watershed management.

The water quality of the Yangtze River in Chongqing has consistently reached Class II or better—on China's five-tier grading scale—for eight consecutive years, while the city's centralized urban drinking water sources have met safety standards for 10 consecutive years, according to Yu.

He also highlighted the positive impact of the 10-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River, with 47 fish species now monitored in the area—a more than 50 percent increase since the ban was introduced. Rare species such as the Yangtze sturgeon, red-bellied fish and rock carp have shown signs of recovery.

Mayor Hu Henghua said the municipality has seen "a bluer sky" and "a greener land" in recent years.

Chongqing has recorded more than 325 days of good air quality annually for five straight years, with PM2.5 concentration dropping by 40 percent compared to a decade ago. The city's forest coverage rate has remained steady at over 55 percent, Hu said.

Chongqing's regional gross domestic product exceeded 3.2 trillion yuan last year, doubling from a decade ago. Urban development has increasingly been driven by green initiatives, the mayor said.

Between 2020 and 2024, the city's GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.6 percent, while energy consumption rose at a slower pace of 2.4 percent per year, indicating improved energy efficiency, said Mi Benjia, deputy director of the Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

Hu also highlighted efforts to promote green factories and industrial parks, saying Chongqing is accelerating the establishment of a green manufacturing system.

To date, the municipality has built 170 national-level green factories, 16 green industrial parks and 18 green supply chain management enterprises. The output value of national-level green factories now accounts for 29.5 percent of the total industrial output above a designated size. Meanwhile, energy consumption per unit of added value in these enterprises has dropped by 12.7 percent from 2020 to 2024, according to Hu.

Mi said the city is also emphasizing the development of green trade, focusing on new energy vehicles, photovoltaic products and lithium batteries. The proportion of output from strategic emerging industries to total industrial output above a designated size rose from 28 percent in 2020 to 34.6 percent last year.

He added that Chongqing will continue working to reduce energy consumption in its industrial structure as part of its push for green and low-carbon development.