China's State Council, the cabinet, approved establishment of a state-level "new area," a type of special economic zone, in northwestern Gansu Province, the fifth of its kind in the country.

Lanzhou New Area (LNA), located in Qinwangchuan Basin in the north of the provincial capital Lanzhou, will serve as an important industrial platform and growth engine to boost the economic development of China's northwest, said an official with the provincial government on August 29.

LNA is expected to focus on strategic adjustment of the economic structure and develop a circular economy and energy-saving industries with local characteristics, according to the official.

Covering an area of 806 square km with a population of 100,000, LNA has attracted 90 investment projects so far, with a total value of 70.7 billion yuan ($11.13 billion), according to statistics released by its management committee.

Besides LNA, there are also Pudong New Area in Shanghai, Binhai New Area in Tianjin, Liangjiang New Area in Chongqing and Zhoushan Islands New Area in Zhejiang Province.