The State Council has approved a national territorial spatial plan for Xining, the capital city of Northwest China's Qinghai province, for the 2021-2035 period, according to an official reply issued on Dec 27.

As a national comprehensive transportation hub, Xining holds significant importance as a major city in China's Northwest region.

As per the reply, by 2035, the total area of cultivated land in Xining should be no less than 1.8583 million mu, of which the protection area for permanent basic farmland should be at least 1.6167 million mu, and the red line area for ecological protection should not be less than 1575.39 square kilometers.

The reply called for deepening Xining’s integration in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, high-level joint construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, stronger support for the protection and development of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin and joint construction of Lanzhou-Xining city cluster.

Efforts should be made to accelerate the building of an urban system featuring regional coordination and urban-rural integration, improve service capabilities of downtown areas, as well as develop county-level economies and industries with local characteristics in accordance with local conditions.

Fortifying ecological barriers, enhancing prevention and control of water pollution and protecting forest parks were stressed in the reply.

Moreover, Xining should expand the production space for agriculture and animal husbandry adapted to local conditions on the plateau, develop green and organic agriculture and animal husbandry and guarantee spatial need for modern urban agriculture.

Priorities should be given to guarantee the space demand for advanced manufacturing, circular economy and cultural and tourism industries, the reply said.

To build a comprehensive urban transport network that is safe, convenient, low-carbon and green, Xining is asked to enhance its function as a railway hub and improve external and internal channels with multi-directional connectivity and multimodal transport.

In addition, the protection mechanism for cultural and natural heritages should be improved, according to the reply.