The State Council on Feb 19 approved overall planning for Guangzhou in South China’s Guangdong province for the next five years.

Coordinated urban and rural development was urged in the designated area of 7,437 square kilometers, with extra attention to be paid to the construction of urban villages and city peripheries.

According to the plan, the Guangzhou government will control the population of permanent urban residents within 18 million and limit urban construction land within 1,772 square kilometers. No new districts or development zones of any kind will be allowed outside the approved area.

The State Council also urged the Guangzhou government to improve urban infrastructure, protect historic and cultural sites and take measures to build an energy-saving and environmentally-friendly city.