The State Council approved an overall development plan for Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, during the 2011-2020 period.

According to the plan, the permanent population in major city areas should be controlled to within 6.2 million, and construction area be controlled to within 436 square kilometers by 2020.

The central government asked for efforts to develop high-end and advanced industries to build the Tianfu New Area into an international modern new area.

Other tasks in the plan include: Fully utilizing water resources to build Chengdu into a water-saving city; strengthening the protection of scenic areas, natural reserves and special ecological protection areas; making a special plan to protect the historical and cultural city, especially cultural relics and their surrounding environment; and further improving transportation facilities linking the city to other regions.

Chengdu, a major city in west China, is known for its history and culture. It is also one of the major bases of China’s high-tech industry, and an important center for trading, logistics and transportation.