China has made significant progress in advancing the coordinated regional development strategy, with the comparative advantages of different regions being further leveraged, said an official from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on Friday.
Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, Xiao Weiming, deputy secretary-general of the NDRC, said that over the past year, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have continued to serve as key drivers of China's economic growth. Together they accounted for more than 40 percent of the country's total economic expansion.
Regarding technology and innovation, Xiao highlighted that Beijing leads the country in the scale of technology transactions, while the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster maintained its position as the world's second-ranked innovation hub for the fifth consecutive year.
Xiao said northeast China further strengthened its role as a "ballast" in ensuring national food security, with grain production reaching a new record.
Meanwhile, China's central and western regions continued to play a vital role in ensuring the country's energy security, said Xiao, adding that the west-to-east gas pipeline network boosted annual natural gas delivery capacity to over 100 billion cubic meters.
China will further promote coordinated regional development in 2025 to enhance the vitality of different regions, said Xiao.
"We will accelerate the relocation of universities, hospitals, and central SOEs that had been designated to relieve Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as the capital, ensuring them to take root in the Xiong'an New Area. We will continue to support the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in building into an international science and technology innovation center and advance the comprehensive pilot reform in Shenzhen. We will steadfastly promote the protection of the Yangtze River, with focused efforts on key areas including urban wastewater networks. We will also formulate and implement policies to comprehensively promote ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin," said Xiao.
China makes progress in coordinated regional development in 2024: official
China is accelerating efforts to build low-altitude infrastructure, with new takeoff and landing facilities, communication networks, and digital systems being constructed in key cities to facilitate the development of this rapidly growing sector.
Low-altitude economy refers to the economic activities and industries centered around manned and unmanned aerial vehicles operating in the airspace usually within 1,000 meters above the ground.
In southern tech hub of Shenzhen, a newly operational rooftop helipad is a key part of the city's push to expand its low-altitude economy. Originally built for fire safety, the helipad has been repurposed with plans for a new aerial sightseeing route in the surrounding area.
"We've estimated the investment, and it's relatively modest since the foundational infrastructure is already in place. The costs will likely be in the range of a few million yuan. If rooftop helipads are connected, it could create an aerial transportation network that links different buildings together," said Kuang Hu, vice chairman of Guangdong Yuehai Land Group.
Shenzhen aims to complete over 1,200 low-altitude facilities by 2026, with the local government offering subsidies of up to 2 million yuan (over 270,000 U.S. dollars) per project. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to create a seamless low-altitude infrastructure ecosystem that integrates airspace management, flight paths, and services.
"By the end of 2026, the district aims to complete 100 low-altitude infrastructure projects," said Chen Wenlei, deputy director of the Development and Reform Bureau of Luohu District, Shenzhen.
"We are in the process of establishing a comprehensive network that includes infrastructure, airspace management, flight paths, and services. By integrating these four key networks into a unified low-altitude standard system, we aim to promote the seamless opening and integration of low-altitude airspace infrastructure and systems," said Cheng Tao, executive secretary of the Shenzhen Low-altitude Economy Industry Association.
In Shanghai, the East China UAV Base has been approved for testing new drones, technologies, and services within a 1,370-square-kilometer airspace. A newly deployed 5G base station at the base offers both communication and radar-like sensing capabilities, essential for managing low-altitude airspace.
"Currently, the station covers a radius of several kilometers, offering crucial data such as the aircraft's latitude, longitude, altitude, speed, and other key metrics. Once airborne, all types of aircraft require communication. For those flying below 300 meters, we can provide tailored coverage for their flight paths," said Du Yanyan, deputy general manager of the Planning and Technology Department at China Mobile Shanghai.
Experts say that technologies like 5G and the BeiDou navigation system are essential to supporting China's low-altitude infrastructure. However, they emphasize the need for network interoperability to address challenges as drones and aircraft transition between regions.
"The low-altitude communication and sensing networks being developed in various regions each follow different technical approaches. For example, when a drone travels from Area A to Area B, it must switch networks, and addressing these challenges promptly is crucial," said Du Jiadong, head of the network and application group at the Low-altitude Economy Research Center, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT).
The Civil Aviation Administration of China estimates that the country's low-altitude market will soar from 500 billion yuan in 2023 to 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025 and as much as 3.5 trillion yuan in 2035.
This year, for the first time, the term "low-altitude economy" was included in the Chinese government's work report, signifying an official endorsement that has emboldened numerous cities.
Infrastructure networks rapidly taking shape to boost low-altitude economy
