DEVELOPMENT: Wetlands in the Yellow River Delta under the blue sky (XINHUA)

China will spell out a series of regional development plans and documentary policies this year, revealed Chen Xuanqing, deputy head of the regional economy department at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), at a press conference in early February.

Last year, China approved a record number of regional development plans and documentary policies that cover large areas across the country.

This year, key economic regions are scheduled to be incorporated into the country's development strategy, according to Chen. They include the Yangtze River Delta, Beiing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and Sichuan-Chongqing region.

Chen noted that plans and policies are formulated based on four categories of regions: those that help the country raise national economic growth and improve international competitiveness; those that improve international regional cooperation and upgrade local ability to open up; those that address difficulties and elevate self-development capability; and those that explore regional development and advanced regional administration mode.

"Regional plans and policies have combined national strategic intent with local practical needs, and clarified functional targets and general lines, as well as development direction and key points, for these specified regions," Chen said, "which will play an important role in guiding long-term development of these regions."

Plans and policies for regional development that have been put into effect in recent years have played an active role in promoting regional coordinated development, exploiting local comparative advantages, and maintaining stable and fairly fast development of the country's economy.

"As time passes, these plans and policies are expected to play a greater role in promoting development of the country's key regions," said Chen.

(Source: Xinhua)