My third favorite city in China, after Hong Kong and Shanghai, is Chongqing.

Overlooking the confluence of two rivers, the Jialing and the Yangtze, shining
office towers cling to the steep hillsides that make up much of the city center.

The total metropolitan area has a population of around 14 million people
(and growing); of these, around three million live in the city proper.

In 1997 Chongqing was granted a 'special municipality' status directly under the
control of the central government -- like the cities of Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai.

It is Chongqing's unique geographical location and layout, combined with its surging
economic development, that have left a lasting, positive impression on me.