The State Council has approved a national territorial spatial plan for Yinchuan, the capital city of Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, for the 2021-2035 period, according to an official reply issued on Jan 13.

As a national comprehensive transportation hub, Yinchuan holds significant importance as a major city in China's northwest region and a nationally recognized historical and cultural city.

As per the reply, by 2035, the total area of cultivated land in Yinchuan should be no less than 1.918 million mu, of which the protection area for permanent basic farmland should be at least 1.5814 million mu, and the red line area for ecological protection should not be less than 1561.79 square kilometers.

The reply urged Yinchuan to actively participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road while promoting inland opening-up, and leading the high-quality development of city clusters along the Yellow River in Ningxia.

In addition, efforts should be made to accelerate the building of an urban system with regional coordination and urban-rural integration. Yinchuan was also required to fortify ecological security shields in Helan Mountain, make coordinated efforts to advance the building of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, and rigorously protect the watercourse space of the Yellow River and its tributaries.

In order to guarantee the space needed for modern urban agriculture, the city will take measures to protect the irrigation areas in Yinchuan Plain that divert water from the Yellow River and expand the production space for local agricultural specialties, such as wine grapes and goji berries in a proper manner.

Space need for the development of advanced manufacturing and cultural and tourism industries will be guaranteed, according to the reply.

To build a comprehensive urban transport network that is safe, convenient, green and low-carbon, Yinchuan should strengthen its function as a railway and highway 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 also be improved, according to the reply.