Central officials have 'Air Silk Road' on radar

The Civil Aviation Administration of China and the National Development and Reform Commission have jointly issued a guideline on promoting the development of an "Air Silk Road" during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period.

Its aim is to strengthen connectivity among countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative by building a safe, efficient, green and inclusive air logistics system.

To further develop the Air Silk Road, the guideline listed eight priority tasks, including boosting interconnectivity among airline networks, promoting aviation infrastructure cooperation and deepening people-to-people exchanges among BRI countries.

President Xi Jinping first said that China supported the building of an Air Silk Road between Zhengzhou, Henan province, and Luxembourg in 2017 during a meeting with Prime Minister Xavier Bettel in Beijing.

County towns to see greater development

China will further develop county towns as it advances urbanization efforts, according to a guideline recently issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, China's Cabinet.

County towns play a key role in urban-rural integration and in regional efforts to establish agricultural-industrial relations.

It stated that by 2025, the first batch of county towns are to have realized tangible improvement in terms of public resources, industrial development and living conditions, and to have attracted more people from rural areas to live and work in them.

The guideline said development must consider the specific conditions of each town and should prioritize those with industrial foundations.

It stressed that market entities will be encouraged to take part in county town construction, and that local authorities should fulfill their duties in terms of formulating plans and policies and providing public services.

It also listed a series of measures for developing county towns in different areas. For example, those located near city clusters and metropolitan areas will be developed into satellite towns for the larger nearby cities, while those located within major agricultural production areas will be encouraged to develop agriculture-related secondary and tertiary industries to persuade more rural residents to move.

Efforts will also be made to create more jobs in county towns. Projects will include building industrial parks and providing large-scale vocational training for migrant workers.

In the process, China will work to improve public infrastructure and services while making medical care, education and elderly care more accessible to nearby rural areas.

The government will also make it easier for rural residents to settle in county towns, while improving investment and financing for their development.

An official with the National Development and Reform Commission told Xinhua News Agency that measures laid out in the guideline are expected to help drive the development and modernization of rural areas and expand domestic consumption and investment, while creating more jobs and improving the lives of county residents.