Premier Li Keqiang stressed development and urbanization in central and western regions of China during a visit to Zhengdong New District with leaders attending the 14th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) prime ministers’ meeting, in Zhengzhou, capital of central China’s Henan province, on Dec 15.

During the visit, Premier Li told the visiting leaders that the place used to be wasteland 10 years ago, but after a decade of construction and development, the barren land turned into a new city that houses millions of people and serves as a business and finance center of Zhengzhou city and even of the central region of China.

The Premier said that urbanization is the biggest domestic demand in China and the potential of regional development in central and western China remains huge.

“We will advance the people-oriented urbanization with reform and innovation, driving the effective demand, promoting medium-to-high level of economic growth, and providing market opportunities for all countries,” he said.

He added that China is willing to expand urbanization cooperation, especially the cooperation in China’s central and western regions, with member countries of SCO and its observer states.

The visiting foreign leaders noted that the economic and social development of China is remarkable and the urbanization in China is promising and provides great opportunities for cooperation.

They said their countries want to coordinate with China’s urbanization, promoting development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the central and western regions of China.