The National Development and Reform Commission recently approved the development plan for the Xi'an metropolitan area. It is the fifth such plan to be approved by the State after the Nanjing, Fuzhou, Chengdu, and Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan metropolitan area plans, and is currently the only such plan in Northwest China.
An evening in Xi'an [Photo/Xi'an municipal government's WeChat account]
This is of great significance to the development of Xi'an as an important domestic city as it will support the construction of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration, promote the development of new-type urbanization, and contribute to high-quality development.
A metropolitan area is an urbanized area centered on a super-large or large city with strong transportation connections and a one-hour commute circle.
The scope of the Xi'an metropolitan area mainly includes the entire area of Xi'an, including Xixian New Area, and some districts and counties in Xianyang, Tongchuan and Weinan cities, as well as the Yangling Agricultural High-tech Industrial Demonstration Zone.
Xi'an builds infrastructure for high-quality development. [Photo/Xi'an municipal government's WeChat account]
Covering an area of about 20,000 square kilometers, the metropolitan area had a permanent population of more than 18 million by the end of 2020 and a regional GDP of about 1.3 trillion yuan ($204.25 billion).
According to the development plan, the interconnection of infrastructure in the metropolitan area will be promoted, as well as innovation, coordination, efficiency, industrial division of labor, cooperation, reform and opening-up, co-governance of the environment, co-construction and sharing of public services, cultural preservation and development, and the deep integration of urban and rural areas.
The plan states that by 2025, Xi'an's transportation infrastructure will be further improved, and by 2035, a modern metropolitan area with national influence and historical and cultural charm will be built.
As an important domestic city, Xi'an continues to strengthen its economic development. [Photo/Xi'an municipal government's WeChat account]