Guangdong Special: Delta region pioneers city and countryside equality

GUANGZHOU: The Pearl River Delta city of Zhongshan, set in south China's Guangdong province, has announced plans for a major initiative to integrate its urban and rural development in the run-up to 2012.

The initial stages of this program have seen the city integrating planning across its urban and rural zones, including infrastructure, and industrial development, whilst improving the residential environment in the rural areas and modernizing the agricultural facilities throughout the city.

Commenting on the initiative, Li Qihong, mayor of Zhongshan, said: "As a pilot city for the nation's future coordinated development between urban and rural areas, Zhongshan will do its utmost to take a nationwide lead. The city will balance development across its urban and rural areas in terms of infrastructure, public facilities, social welfare and social management. We will also redouble our efforts to aid the rural population in increasing its economic success, so as to narrow the income gap between the urban and rural communities."