The State Council has approved a national territorial spatial plan for Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, 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 Qingdao should be at least 6.3414 million mu, of which the protection area for permanent basic farmland should be at least 5.6870 million mu, and the red line area for ecological protection should be no less than 1,705.00 square kilometers.

To underpin new development patterns, the reply calls for the deep integration of Qingdao in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, requiring the city to promote the development of China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area and leading the coordinated development of city clusters on the Shandong Peninsula.

While promoting integrated development of the port, industry and city in the West Coast New Area of Qingdao and the compact layout of cities and towns around the Jiaozhou Bay area, coordinated ecological protection on land and at sea should be promoted, the reply said.

Major production areas of agricultural products in the Jiaolai Plain should be protected, the reply said, while Qingdao is also asked to give priority to ensuring the space for developing advanced manufacturing and scientific and technological innovation industries.

The reply said that efforts will be made to strengthen the functional coordination of Qingdao Port with the regional ports around the Huanghai and Bohai seas, improve the external and internal channels with multi-directional connectivity and multimodal transport, and build 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.