The State Council has approved a national territorial spatial plan for Nanning, Southern China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region for the 2021-2035 period, according to an official reply issued on Nov 13.

According to the reply, by 2035, the total area of cultivated land in Nanning should be at least 7.07 million mu, of which the protection area for permanent basic farmland should be at least 6.02 million mu, and the red line area for ecological protection should be no less than 3,020.52 square kilometers.

To underpin new development patterns, the reply calls for the deep integration of Nanning in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, requesting the city to build a high-quality China-ASEAN cooperation zone for cross-border industrial integration and development.

While building the new western land-sea corridor at a high level, Nanning should also lead the high-quality development of the Beibu Gulf urban cluster, the reply said.

The development and protection of territorial spaces will be systematically optimized.

To that end, efforts will be made to accelerate the construction of an urban system with regional coordination and urban and rural integration, and strengthen the cross-border opening-up functions of the city's airport.

In addition to the space demand for modern urban agriculture, priority will also be given to the development of scientific and technological innovation and advanced manufacturing.

Furthermore, the city will strengthen functional coordination with Beihai, Qinzhou and Fangchenggang, and improve internal and external transportation channels with a safe, convenient, green and low-carbon comprehensive urban transport network.

The protection of historic urban areas and cultural streets was also stressed in the reply.