Yangtze River Delta focuses on NEVs, low-altitude economy

The Yangtze River Delta region is set to develop world-class industrial clusters in key industries, including new energy vehicles and the low-altitude economy, as part of efforts to deepen its integrated development, officials announced on Thursday.

A comprehensive plan outlines 20 tasks aimed at building leading industrial clusters. They include promoting high-quality development of manufacturing and key industrial chains, creating a new energy vehicle industrial chain across the region, and accelerating the development of infrastructure for the low-altitude economy, as well as research, development, and the manufacture of related products, Gu Jun, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai municipal government, said at a news conference.

"The industrial clusters are part of a three-year action plan comprising nine major aspects and 165 key tasks, aligned with the regional coordinated development goals set by the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China," said Gu, who also serves as director of the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

"The plan indicates that the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region is entering a new phase of in-depth progress."

The action plan, covering the period to 2026, is tailored to the specific conditions of Shanghai and the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Anhui. It provides a clear road map and outlines tasks to be accomplished over three years. Regional leaders are committed to accelerating progress toward the targets, Gu said.

The regional high-speed railway loop, stretching over 1,200 kilometers and covering 21 stations in major cities across the Yangtze River Delta, is considered a bench mark achievement in the area's integration efforts. Launched in June, the super loop is the first of its kind in the region, linking key cities and scenic spots.

"In both physical connections like railway networks and virtual links such as integrated government services, the Yangtze River Delta region is constantly deepening and solidifying internal ties through project collaboration and system innovation," said Zhang Zhongwei, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

Zhong Lan, deputy director of the Anhui Provincial Development and Reform Commission, said, "Joint efforts will be made to accelerate the development of national strategic science and technology, strengthen industrial chains, cultivate new high-quality productive forces, and make breakthroughs in the integration of digital and real-world economies."

Ling Ming, deputy director of the Jiangsu Provincial Development and Reform Commission, said, "Integration and high quality are the keywords in implementing the action plan."