The State Council on March 15 released a guideline on promoting cooperation within the Pan-Pearl-River Delta region, which includes nine provincial regions -- Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Hainan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan -- as well as the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.

Covering one-fifth of national territory, one-third of the country’s population and one-third of the economic volume, the region has displayed tremendous economic vitality and potential for development.

The central government has eyed the region as a pioneer in reform and opening-up, an important engine for economic development, a key area for the mainland to capture cooperation opportunities with Hong Kong and Macao, as well as a crucial area for the advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative.

According to the plan, regional economic structure is expected to be optimized with Guangzhou and Shenzhen’s expertise on innovative administration and green development to be spread across the region.

New concentrations of advanced industries will be cultivated, and industries such as processing trade will be transferred to central and western regions.

The government will also seek to promote uniform market regulations in the region, build a regional social credit cooperation system and remove customs clearance barriers. Major infrastructure projects such as railway networks, energy supply system and water conservancy works will be accelerated.

Moreover, the State Council called for establishing innovation platforms to help push regional cooperation, as well as optimize the environment for innovation. In social aspects, the region will further integrate on education, medical care, social security and tourism.

The State Council encouraged regional governments and enterprises to explore external cooperation opportunities on industrial capacity and equipment manufacturing while taking advantage of international development initiatives such as the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor. The government will take measures to protect regional water resources and control air pollution.

In particular, the central government called for close connection and collaboration between the nine provincial regions and Hong Kong and Macao on major infrastructure projects, industrial cooperation and social affairs.