President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday, Jan. 5, that ecology and "green development" would play a key role to boost the growth of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Xinhua Finance reported.
Xi made the remarks during a meeting in Chongqing with officials from Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and some departments under the State Council.
Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli was also present at the meeting.
According to the report, Xi said that it is a key strategy for the country to boost growth in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, while work has been done to develop the natural waterway such as river course renovation, use of water resources, and control and treatment of water pollution.
Xi said that the Yangtze River has been an important part of Chinese society and the economy for thousands of years, and today, it is still crucial as it holds the key to linking the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
Xi added that the river's status and role to the economic belt mean that development along the river must prioritize ecology and "green development" to respect natural, economic and social rules.
The Chinese leader said that the Yangtze River has a unique ecological system and it will be a huge task to restore its ecological environment, as he stressed that no large-scale development will be allowed along the river at present and for a long period to come.
Xi also urged various sectors to coordinate development in areas such as water, road, port, wetland and environment in various regions along the river.
In April, the State Council announced a plan to build city clusters along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in an effort to spur new economic growth and to promote further development.
The planned development would include urban clusters around Wuhan in Hubei Province, clusters around Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province, and the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan city group in Hunan Province.
According to the State Council, the clusters are a major component of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, which covers a total land area of 317,000 square kilometers.
The State Council said that the three clusters are key areas where the "Rise of Central China" strategy will be implemented. It will be an area where the government will launch and promote more substantive reform and a new type of urbanization.
The "Rise of Central China" strategy was launched in 2004 as part of the country's effort to attain a more balanced development.