Xi's article on regional economic development to be published

BEIJING - An article by President Xi Jinping on promoting regional economic planning featuring complementary advantages and high-quality development will be published Monday in the 24th issue of the Qiushi Journal this year.

In the article, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that the planning of regional development should give play to each region's respective strength in pursuing optimal development.

Efforts should be made to allow each region to play its core function, the article read.

The structure of economic development is undergoing profound changes, with central cities and city clusters becoming the major vessels for development, the article pointed out, adding that policy framework for regional development should be improved to adapt to the new circumstances.

Efforts should be made to reinforce the economic and population-carrying capacity of central cities, city clusters and advantaged areas for economic development, and strengthen other areas' functions for guaranteeing food and ecological security and the safety of border areas, the article read.

The new mechanism for coordinated regional development should be improved in many aspects, the article said, urging the implementation of related policy measures in areas including pension insurance, land administration, ecological compensation and fiscal transfer payments.

Acknowledging the importance of the country's northeast region, the article also called for new initiatives to vitalize the area.