Rise of Central China

It was a major strategic plan made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to achieve rapid economic growth in the central region (six provinces of Shanxi, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan and Anhui) and promote coordinated regional development. The implementation of the strategy for the rise of the central region is to give full play to the comparative advantages of the central region's geographical advantages, comprehensive resource advantages, industrial foundation and scientific and technological strength, pay more attention to transformational development, innovative development, coordinated development, sustainable development and harmonious development, steadily improve the central region's status as a national food production base, energy and raw material base, modern equipment manufacturing and high-tech industrial base, and comprehensive transportation hub, continuously enhance the overall strength and competitiveness of development and strive to achieve the full rise of the central region, playing a bigger role in supporting the overall development of the country.

In October 2005, the “Proposals of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the Eleventh Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development” adopted by the Fifth Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposed that the rise of the central region should be promoted and the central region should be the major food production base. The energy and manufacturing industries with comparative advantages should be developed, infrastructure construction should be strengthened, and the establishment of a modern market system should be accelerated, achieving the rise of the central region industry by leveraging the advantages of connecting the east and west of China and by industrial development. Our country should support the central region to give full play to its location advantages, accelerate the pace of reform, and raise the level of industrialization and urbanization.

“Several Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Promoting the Rise of Central China” promulgated in May 2006 clarified the overall requirements and principles for the implementation of the strategic plan for the rise of Central China. In September 2009, the executive meeting of the State Council discussed and passed the “Plan for Promoting the Rise of Central China”, which made eight major deployments for the further implementation of the strategy for the rise of Central China. Firstly, we must focus on strengthening the construction of food production bases and actively develop modern agriculture. Secondly, it is necessary to consolidate and enhance its position of an important energy raw material base in accordance with the principles of optimized layout, centralized exploitation, efficient utilization, intensive processing, safety and environmental protection. Thirdly, focus on core technology and key technology research and development to build modern equipment manufacturing and high-tech industry bases. Fourthly, we must optimize the allocation of transportation resources and strengthen the status of a comprehensive transportation hub. Fifthly, we must accelerate the formation of the “two horizontal and two vertical” economic belts along the Yangtze River and Longhai, Beijing-Guangzhou and Beijing-Kowloon lines, actively cultivate a vibrant urban agglomeration, and promote the old the revitalization of industrial base cities and the transformation of resource-based cities. Sixthly, we must strive to develop circular economy and improve resource conservation and comprehensive utilization. Seventhly, we must actively develop various social undertakings such as education, health, culture, and sports to improve people’s livelihood and promote coordinated economic and social development. Eighthly, we must use weak links as a breakthrough point, accelerate the Reform and Opening-up, as well as the innovation of systems and mechanisms, and continuously enhance development motivation and vitality. Deepening Reform and Opening-up and accelerating the rise of the central region will help improve the division of labor in our country's regional development, optimize the structure of regional development, accelerate the formation of a new pattern of regional coordinated development, and ensure the realization of the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

The 19th CPC National Congress pointed out in the regional coordinated development strategy that it is necessary to “use the advantages to promote the rise of the central region”.