The State Council has approved a national territorial spatial plan for Wuxi, East China’s Jiangsu province, for the 2021-2035 period, according to an official reply released on Jan 16.

As per the reply, to strengthen the spatial foundation for safe development, by 2035, the total area of cultivated land in Wuxi should be no less than 1.1695 million mu, of which the protection area for permanent basic farmland should be at least 1.0488 million mu, and the red line area for ecological protection should be no less than 840.28 square kilometers.

To build a territorial spatial system that supports the new development paradigm, the circular asked Wuxi to deeply integrate into the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Yangtze River Delta integration strategy, actively integrate into the construction of Shanghai metropolitan area, and enhance coordinated development with cities around Taihu Lake and cities on both sides of the Yangtze River.

The development and protection of territorial space will be systematically optimized, the reply added.

To that end, efforts will be made to accelerate the construction of an urban system with regional coordination and integration of urban and rural areas. Coordinated development between central urban areas in Wuxi and Jiangyin and Yixing should be promoted, and comprehensive water conservancy control of Tailu Lake Basin will be systematically promoted with improved water environment quality, the replay said.

While ensuring the space demand of modern urban agriculture, priority will also be given to the space demand for the development of advanced manufacturing, strategic emerging industries and scientific and technological innovation industries around Taihu Lake.

In addition, the city will improve its functions as a logistics and aviation hub, optimize and improve the construction of the intercity channels between Shanghai and Nanjing, deepen the integration of port resources along the Yangtze River, improve the external and internal channels for multi-directional connectivity and multimodal transport, and build a safe, convenient, green and low-carbon comprehensive urban transport network.

The protection and utilization of the World Cultural Heritage and industrial heritage of the Grand Canal (Jiangnan Canal section in Wuxi city) as well as the protection of historic urban areas and neighborhoods should also be enhanced, the reply said.