The State Council approved a city cluster development plan in the Yangtze River Delta region in East China on May 25.

The city cluster in the region covers Shanghai, and parts of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, according to the circular.

It said that China hopes to build a world-class city cluster with global influence, forming new global competitive advantages and serving the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and development of the Yangtze River economic belt.

The blueprint stressed Shanghai’s leading role in the city cluster, and said the development should follow the pattern that includes innovation, coordination, green awareness, openness, and sharing.

It urged the governments of Shanghai municipality, and Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces to further streamline administration, combining power delegation with enhanced supervision and optimizing public services, strengthen cooperation and report major issues, policies and projects involved in the plan.

A leading group for promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt will take overall charge of the work, and the State Council will provide support in compiling plans, system innovation and project coordination, said the document.