Inland areas seek free trade zone approval

Inland provinces and autonomous regions are allocating a growing proportion of their fiscal revenue toward improving their chances of being selected as a free trade zone.

By building the necessary infrastructure to compete with provinces in coastal regions, the inland areas hope to shift the spotlight as the central government enters its third round of selection for the FTZs.

Even though the shift is still in its early stages, it could have profound implications for China's current business map, as inland regional economies are relatively much more extensive than coastal ones such as Zhejiang and Jiangsu.