Buildings constructed in the old city area of Fuzhou, the capital of east China's Fujian Province, can only go so high, and no new structures can be put up in the nearby mountain area.

These are the guidelines of a comprehensive development plan for Fuzhou that was just approved by the State Council, China's highest governing body, local sources said.

The move is designed to protect the old city's original appearance, featuring three mountains, two pagodas and one street. Records show that Fuzhou was built in B.C. 202. A grand ceremony

was organized in 1998 to celebrate the 2,200th anniversary of the founding.

According to the plan, 100-meter-wide scenic corridors will be left in the three mountains, and buildings built inside the corridors should be no higher than 24 meters, while structures built inside the triangle formed by the three corridors should be no higher than 48 m.

The plan also says that institutions that have already settled down in the mountain region cannot begin new construction projects and should be relocated elsewhere in the future.

Better protection of the city's historical sites along Bayiqi Road in Fuzhou's downtown area is part of the plan.