The Chinese government has unveiled a landmark territorial spatial plan for the Yangtze River Delta region, charting an ambitious development course through 2035. Approved by the State Council, this national-level blueprint positions the economically vital region as a pioneering demonstration zone for China’s modernization efforts.
The comprehensive plan emphasizes technological advancement and industrial innovation as core drivers for regional development. It specifically identifies the G60 Science and Technology Innovation Valley as a priority area for spatial resource allocation while calling for optimized industrial land distribution along Yangtze River and coastal zones. The strategy includes relocating traditional industries to northern Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, particularly riverside areas of Anhui, to facilitate industrial upgrading.
According to Ruan Qing, executive deputy director of the economic and finance commission of Shanghai’s CPPCC Committee, delta cities must leverage their technological strengths during this period of resource reorganization. He emphasized the need for standardized technology-supportive policies across the region to advance high-quality development of innovation-driven industrial clusters.
The plan designates Shanghai as the integration leader for its metropolitan area, including surrounding cities Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou. Additionally, it mandates coordinated spatial planning with major regional centers Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hefei, and Ningbo to establish a world-class city cluster.
Zhang Zhongwei, deputy director of the Shanghai Development and Reform Commission, highlighted that metropolitan agglomerations will strengthen regional commuting networks and develop specialized functional zones. He identified cross-regional coordination as essential for technological innovation, logistics improvement, green development, and economic resilience over the next five years. Zhang further noted that cross-regional legislation could enhance governance stability and institutional benefits.
The blueprint also addresses maritime development, urging coastal areas to bolster their roles as port and shipping hubs while promoting orderly development of deep-sea space to harness marine potential. This aligns with regional economic data showing the eastern coastal marine economy, centered on the Yangtze River Delta, achieved record output exceeding 3.34 trillion yuan ($472 billion) last year, accounting for 11.9% of regional GDP.
The plan establishes strict conservation boundaries, including bottom lines for cultivated land preservation, ecological protection red-line zones, and total water consumption management throughout the region.