The State Council gave the green light to Jiangsu provincial government’s application to establish the Jiangbei new area in Nanjing on July 2.

The area, covering 788 square kilometers, is located in the north of the Yangtze River in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, and includes the districts of Pukou, Liuhe and Baguazhou street of Qixia district. It is the cross point of the Yangtze River economic zone and the eastern coastal economic zone.

The State Council plan to use the Jiangbei area to drive the modernization of southern Jiangsu and the economic development of the Yangtze River economic zone.

The establishment of the area should be in accordance with the overall planning of the Yangtze River economic zone and the Belt and Road Initiative, and coordinate with the development of the Shanghai Pudong new district, Zhoushan city and the China (Shanghai) free trade zone, according to the State Council. The area will see a greater emphasis on innovation.

The State Council asked the Jiangsu government to take charge of the establishment of the new area. The overall planning of the area should be in compliance with general plans for land use, urban planning, town planning, environmental protection, water resource planning and other specified plans. Important policies and projects should be submitted for approval.

The State Council’s relevant departments will offer support and help to tackle problems in facilitating the establishment of the new area, according to the circular.