According to the Shandong Development and Reform Commission, the major issues, key areas and important tasks for the new round of regional cooperation involving the Huaihai Economic Zone were defined in a recently concluded conference in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province.

Four Shandong cities involved in the zone, namely Heze, Jining, Linyi and Zaozhuang, will carry out coordinated exchanges and cooperation in various areas with the zone's cities in other provinces.

The cities will join hands to improve their ecological environment, strengthen intercity transportation construction, boost local economy and narrow the gap between urban and rural areas.

The Huaihai Economic Zone was one of the earliest regional economic cooperation organizations in China. Proposed by famous economist Yu Guangyuan in 1986, the zone involved 20 cities in Shandong, Jiangsu, Henan and Anhui provinces.

Covering a population of over 100 million, it has contributed greatly to regional economic development and cooperation.

This November, the National Development and Reform Commission issued a development plan to promote the construction of the Huaihe River green economic belt.

The plan, approved by the State Council, is a national strategy to foster regional economic and ecological development.

The plan maps out the strategic positions and targets of the economic belt and also gives roles to 10 cities involved in the Huaihai Economic Zone, namely Xuzhou, Lianyungang and Suqian of Jiangsu province, Zaozhuang, Linyi, Heze and Jining of Shandong province, Shangqiu of Henan province, and Huaibei and Suzhou of Anhui province.

According to the plan, the belt, covering 243,000 square km, will be developed as a demonstration area for ecological civilization, distinctive industries, a new type of urbanization, and central and eastern regional cooperation.

By the end of 2017, the gross domestic product of the area had reached 6.75 trillion yuan (about $976 billion), with 146 million permanent residents.

Xinhua contributed to the story.

Cities involved in the Huaihai Economic Zone. The zone has become a national strategy to foster regional economic and ecological development. [Photo/sdnews.com.cn]

The urban landscape of Linyi, Shandong province. [Photo/dzwww.com]

The city landscape of Heze, Shandong province. [Photo/iqilu.com]