The State Council has approved the overall urban plan (2011-20) for Guiyang, the capital of Southwest China’s Guizhou province.

Guiyang is both an important innovation center in southwestern region and a major tourist spot for nature lovers.

The plan urged coordinated urban and rural development in the designated area of 3,121 square kilometers, with emphasis on developing counties and major towns with greater potential, and optimizing the overall layout of villages and towns.

According to the plan, the population of permanent residents in downtown Guiyang should be capped at 4 million by 2020, and the city’s urban construction land limited to 380 square kilometers. Building of development zones or new districts outside the approved area should not be allowed.

Additional construction land use should be strictly controlled. Instead, the exploration of underground space will be further encouraged. Efforts should also be made to improve the efficiency in land use and protect basic farmlands.

Meanwhile, the State Council urged the local government to establish a system that can serve multiple urban transportation types in a comprehensive way.

Infrastructure including urban water supply, drainage and sewage disposal should be built with enhanced coordination. And efforts in the construction of facilities related to disaster prevention should also be reinforced, the plan said.

The State Council plans to transform Guiyang into an energy-saving and environmentally friendly city through slashing outdated production capacity, cutting emissions while promoting a safe waste and sewage disposal system.

According to the circular, better public services concerning education, medical care, and subsidized housing should be included in the city’s development plan.

In addition, efforts should also be made to protect historic culture and natural reserves.