The State Council has approved the guideline on the development of the Bohai Bay Economic Rim. The area includes Beijing and Tianjin municipalities, Hebei, Shanxi, Liaoning and Shandong provinces, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

The guideline urges the construction of major infrastructures to build a modern network of transportation, energy, water resources and information. It also focuses on environmental and ecological protection in the region. Industrial cooperation is highlighted. Local governments must continue to work on the upgrading of industries.

Economic opening up and market-oriented reforms, as well as the development of urban and rural areas, are also mentioned. The Bohai Rim has a population of about 230 million, and accounts for more than one fourth of the national GDP. It’s one of China’s three most important industrial bases, along with the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta.