CBT 100 Forum focuses on integrated regional development of the Yangtze River Delta

Five high-speed railways -- Shanghai-Wuhan-Chengdu high-speed railway (radiating west towards Nanjing, Hefei, Wuhan and Chengdu), Shanghai- Urumqi high-speed railway (radiating northwest towards Zhengzhou, Xi'an, Lanzhou and Urumqi), Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway (radiating north towards Xuzhou, Jinan, Yancheng, Lianyungang and Qingdao), Shanghai-Kunming high-speed railway (radiating southwest towards Hangzhou, Changsha, Nanchang, Guiyang and Kunming) and the coastal high-speed railway (radiating south towards Ningbo, Wenzhou, Fuzhou and Xiamen) -- could power the coordinate economic development of the Yangtze River and the country as a whole.

Shen raised the idea of build a "1+3" pioneering demonstration district of technological innovation industrialization. The "1+3" refers to Fengxian district in Shanghai, Zhangjiagang in Suzhou, Xishan district in Wuxi and Tongzhou in Nantong.

It was suggest making Fengxian district into a first-class research and development center of technological innovation, with Zhangjiagang the exhibition and logistical center, Xishan district the technological innovation industrialization center, and Tongzhou the base of the technological innovation industrialization and a foundation for strategic emerging industries.

In addition to the integrated coordinated strategy of urban agglomeration development, Shen made the following propositions.

First, the CBT 100 cities should interconnect their infrastructure, including common urban railways, and develop common equipment for technological research, detecting instruments and other aids to industrial infrastructure growth.

Second, the CBT 100 cities should integrate funds social funds and establish two funds for infrastructure construction and innovation of technological research, providing financial support for urban construction and industrial upgrading.

Third, the cities should construct a multi-layer consultation mechanism between related leaders and coordinate departments through meetings of related cities and districts. They should also discover areas of interest through interactions and cooperation between leaders of industry, university research facilities and project coordinators in a think tank format.

The integrated regional development of the Yangtze River Delta summit of the China Business Top 100 (CBT100) Forum takes place in Shanghai on Dec 6. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]