The State Council approved an overall plan (2011-2020) for the development of Daqing, Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, in a guideline published on Jan 27, calling for integrated planning and management of the 5,107 square kilometers of designated planning area.

Highlighting the city’s role as a major petroleum and petrochemical industry base, the guideline urged stricter regulation on petrochemical enterprises and hazardous chemical warehouses.

It suggested focusing on the development of counties and townships with good basic conditions, optimizing the layout of townships and villages, and promoting agricultural industrialization and modernization in rural areas.

By 2020, the permanent resident population in the central urban area should be kept within 1.5 million, and urban land used for construction should be within 223 square kilometers, said the guideline.

It prohibited setting up development areas or new towns or districts beyond the scope of the designated land for construction.

The guideline also suggested utilizing urban underground space, improving land utilization efficiency and protecting arable land.

To improve the infrastructure system of the city, the guideline proposed planning infrastructure construction by following a green and low-carbon concept, and further perfecting transportation infrastructure to promote integration with neighboring cities Harbin and Qiqihar.

To build Daqing into a resource-conserving and environment-friendly city, the guideline suggested improving utilization efficiency of water resources and strengthening protection of natural conservation areas, wetland and water supply areas.

The guideline also called for protection of historic culture, characteristic landscape and industrial heritage, underscoring protection of cultural relics such as the Baijinbao site and the First Oil Well of Daqing.