Better leverage the unique advantages of the Yangtze River Economic Belt
2026-06-15
The outline of the "15th Five Year Plan" proposes to "adhere to joint efforts in large-scale protection, avoid large-scale development, prioritize ecology and green development, and continue to promote high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt", "strengthen regional infrastructure interconnection, promote the construction of cross regional and cross basin major channels such as the Yangtze River comprehensive transportation channel and the border and coastal channels", and "expand basin economic models according to local conditions". These important deployments have pointed out the direction for promoting the stable and far-reaching development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and making greater contributions to the strength of the Yangtze River. At the symposium on further promoting high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to better leverage the unique advantages of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, which spans east and west, connects north and south, and connects the river and the sea. Standing at a new historical starting point, to promote the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, it is necessary to further deepen our understanding and fully leverage these unique advantages, play a game of chess in the basin, and transform it into a development victory for the construction of an ecological Yangtze River, an innovative Yangtze River, an open Yangtze River, a cultural Yangtze River, and a happy Yangtze River.
1. Give full play to the advantages of the Yangtze River Economic Belt spanning east and west
Regional coordinated development is the inherent requirement of Chinese path to modernization. To promote the coordinated development of the East, the West, and the East, an important aspect is to enhance the regional development coordination of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
Strengthen the golden waterway and unblock the east-west arteries in all directions. The benefits of boats and the convenience of shipping are important cornerstones for promoting high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. At present, the navigation capacity of the Yangtze River Economic Belt has achieved a qualitative improvement, with 50000 ton ships directly reaching Nanjing, 10000 ton ships directly reaching Wuhan, and 5000 ton ships directly reaching Chongqing. By 2025, the cargo throughput of ports along the Yangtze River will exceed 4.2 billion tons, firmly ranking first in the world's inland rivers. Next, we need to leverage the dual circulation artery of the Yangtze River Economic Belt both domestically and internationally. While accelerating the full coverage of major ports and railways on the Yangtze River mainline, we will continue to deepen the digital transformation and upgrading of transportation infrastructure, promote the "zero distance" connection of multimodal transport facilities, the "big integration" of operation systems, and the "full intelligence" of production organizations. We will strengthen the comprehensive link function of safety, convenience, efficiency, green and economy, and promote the transformation of the "golden waterway" into a "golden economic belt".
Connect the three major urban agglomerations and jointly build the Yangtze River Science and Technology Innovation Corridor. To promote efficient collaboration between regional innovation chains and industrial chains, we must first leverage the role of key regions as growth poles. The outline of the 15th Five Year Plan proposes to "deepen the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, improve the system and mechanism for integrated development of innovation chain, industrial chain, infrastructure, ecological environment protection, etc. By optimizing the industrial division of labor and spatial connections between urban agglomerations, and using Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) International Science and Technology Innovation Center, as well as the "nationally influential science and technology innovation centers" in Chengdu Chongqing region and Wuhan as strategic support, we will promote efficient cooperation in the innovation chain and industrial chain of the three major urban agglomerations and even the entire basin, implement the national industrial transfer and development enhancement project, promote the construction of national strategic hinterland and key industry backup, and accelerate the transformation of the scientific research advantages and talent advantages of the Yangtze River Economic Belt into new quality productivity development advantages.
Strengthen the green foundation of the watershed and expand the economic model of the watershed. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that in the long run, promoting high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt fundamentally relies on the high-quality ecological environment of the Yangtze River Basin. Green development is the distinctive background of Chinese path to modernization. As a basin economy, the Yangtze River Economic Belt is the key to harnessing and revitalizing water. We must firmly establish the concept that green mountains and clear waters are as valuable as mountains of gold and silver, integrate the requirements of green transformation into the overall economic and social development, promote green transformation in all aspects, fields, and regions, deepen the joint protection and governance of the ecological environment in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, strengthen the seamless connection of ecological protection red lines in cross-border regions, promote the joint protection of ecological barriers and corridors, cross-border river and lake water system connectivity, and ecological restoration, strengthen the coordinated tracing and response of air pollutants, and take the lead in forming a batch of replicable and promotable landmark achievements. Taking carbon peak and carbon neutrality as the driving force, explore new paths of ecological priority and green development, comprehensively promote the calculation method of total ecological product value (GEP), improve the horizontal ecological protection compensation mechanism in the Yangtze River Basin, and enhance the momentum of green development.
2. Give full play to the advantages of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in connecting the north and south
The outline of the 15th Five Year Plan proposes to "adhere to the consistent implementation of regional development strategies, implement policies according to local conditions and zones, encourage localities to leverage their comparative advantages and strengths, promote coordinated development in the east, central, western, southern and northern regions, and promote relative balance in development". We should further strengthen the coordinated linkage between the Yangtze River Economic Belt and regions such as Beijing Tianjin Hebei, Yellow River Basin, Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, and deeply promote the coordinated development of the north and south.
Thoroughly implement the national "River Strategy" deployment and strengthen coordination and linkage with the Yellow River Basin. For thousands of years, the two mother rivers of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River have nurtured the Chinese nation, and the Yellow River civilization has continuously integrated with the Yangtze River civilization, nurturing the national spirit of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "following the development strategy of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, we have proposed the strategy of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, and the national 'river strategy' has been established. The development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, ecological protection in the Yellow River Basin, and high-quality development have become two major regional strategies in China. The implementation of the country's "river strategy" and the realization of the "river" and "river" linkage are of great significance for striving to create a new situation of Chinese path to modernization. We should explore the rich cultural heritage of the mountains and rivers connected by mountains and rivers, adhere to the position of Chinese culture, demonstrate cultural subjectivity, deeply explore the contemporary value of the Yangtze River culture and Yellow River culture, and make important contributions to promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional Chinese culture. At the same time, we will promote the connection between the Yangtze River Midstream Urban Agglomeration and the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, promote cooperation between the Chengdu Chongqing region and the Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration, facilitate mutual assistance between the north and south, deepen the development of the western region and the rise of the central region, and jointly ensure the smooth flow of major channels such as "North Coal South Transportation", "North Grain South Transportation", "South Vegetable North Transportation", and enhance regional development coordination.
Continue to scientifically implement water diversion projects and strengthen coordination and linkage with northern water receiving areas. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the symposium on promoting high-quality development of the follow-up project of the South to North Water Diversion that "entering a new stage of development, implementing the new development concept, building a new development pattern, forming a unified national market and a smooth domestic circulation, promoting coordinated development between the north and the south, requires strong support from water resources." Since the first phase of the East Middle Route of the South to North Water Diversion Project was completed, a total of over 88 billion cubic meters of water has been diverted, benefiting 195 million people in 48 large and medium-sized cities in 7 provinces, laying a solid water resource foundation for the coordinated development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and northern water receiving areas. We should accelerate the construction of a safe and resilient modern water network, continuously strengthen the joint scheduling of water projects in the basin, explore the establishment of a water rights trading system in the Yangtze River Basin, and continuously improve the intensive and economical utilization capacity of water resources in the basin. We will adhere to the principle of "water determines the city, land, people, and production", continue to deepen the coordinated cooperation of the South to North Water Diversion Project, and promote the joint efforts of water receiving areas to support the Yangtze River Economic Belt through "joint protection and non development".
Better serve and strengthen the domestic circulation, strengthen spatial connections with Beijing Tianjin Hebei, Guangdong Hong Kong Macao and other regions. Improve the coverage of the domestic circulation, promote regional coordinated development in depth, strengthen industrial chain cooperation within urban agglomerations, promote the optimization of industrial division of labor and spatial connections between urban agglomerations, and build a high-quality national spatial layout and support system for development. At present, the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area are recognized as economic growth poles with global influence, combined with the Chengdu Chongqing economic circle and the Yangtze River midstream urban agglomeration, forming a "diamond shaped" economic space. We should coordinate commercial flow, logistics, information flow, and capital flow from the perspective of "large-scale circulation", promote the "channel+hub+network" to improve efficiency, expand functions, and increase momentum, fully leverage this economic space to promote the important role of north-south interaction and east-west integration in national regional development, radiate and drive the improvement of urbanization levels in central and southern Hebei, northern Anhui, southwestern Shandong, southeastern Henan, southwestern Hunan, western Guangdong, eastern Sichuan, and comprehensively enhance the comprehensive carrying capacity for population and economic and social development.
3. Give full play to the advantages of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in connecting the river and the sea
The outline of the 15th Five Year Plan proposes to "adhere to the coordinated planning of land and sea, and enhance the ability to manage the ocean". Land sea coordination aims to coordinate the opening up of coastal areas, rivers, borders, and inland areas, and form a high-quality overall development synergy through high-level coordination and linkage. Promoting the integration and connectivity between the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the coastal economic belt, and enhancing their hub functions, is the key practice of this concept.
The linkage between the port hinterland and the entire area will truly achieve "river connectivity". Ports are the "hub nodes" of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and industries suitable for ports are important support points for the high-quality development of port economy. We should continue to improve the collection and distribution system between ports and the hinterland of the entire basin, build an efficient and smooth Yangtze River main and branch linkage shipping network, take the main channel as the skeleton and the tributary waterway as the vein, create a Yangtze River main and branch linkage and multimodal transportation logistics system, expand the port market area comprehensively, and promote the development of upstream and downstream industries such as bulk commodity trading, agricultural product processing, and cross-border e-commerce. Taking data as the driving force, extensively connecting the upstream and downstream industrial chain elements of shipping, developing inland waterway network freight platforms, strengthening the support of public data resources such as ports, waterways, ships, and maritime affairs, and creating a modern logistics transportation service system throughout the entire chain.
Strengthen river sea intermodal transportation and truly achieve 'reaching the sea'. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation in the Yangtze River Basin, fully leverage the role of inland waterway transportation, develop river sea intermodal transportation, and turn the entire basin into a golden waterway. We should further optimize the Yangtze River mainline river sea intermodal transportation system, develop and strengthen a number of key intermodal ports, and cultivate a number of river sea intermodal transportation brand routes. Actively building a river sea transportation channel in the central and western regions, relying on cross basin water transportation channels such as Zhejiang Jiangxi Guangdong, Han Hunan Guangxi, etc., to enhance the function of river sea intermodal transportation.
Expand international circulation and expand high-level opening-up to the outside world. The continuous expansion of high-level opening-up to the outside world demonstrates China's firm determination and great power responsibility. According to statistics, in the past decade, the foreign trade import and export value of 11 provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt has reached 161.63 trillion yuan, accounting for 45.2% of the country's total import and export value. The coordinated development of the pilot free trade zones in 9 provinces and cities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt has resulted in a number of institutional innovations in exploring onshore trade rules, investment facilitation, financial openness, and other aspects. We should continue to deepen our integration into the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" and expand the international cycle with high-level opening up. Consolidate and enhance the leading position of the Yangtze River Delta in opening up, and form a group of strategic highlands for leading open economic development; Improve the level of openness in the upper and middle reaches of the region, enhance the strategic hinterland function of inland areas in opening up to the outside world, and form a new pattern of all-round and deeper opening-up to the outside world.(Outlook New Era)
Authors: Qin Zunwen and Lu Hongwei (respectively a researcher at the Hubei Academy of Social Sciences, Secretary General of the Yangtze River High end Think Tank Alliance, researcher at the Hubei Academy of Social Sciences, and Deputy Director of the Yangtze River Midstream Urban Agglomeration Research Center)
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