China drafting plan for Silk Road cooperation

BEIJING - China is drawing up a plan for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

The plan was being devised by the National Development and Reform Commission and some ministries, Fan Hengshan, deputy secretary general of the commission, said on Tuesday.

The plan will develop both inland and coastal areas, as well as less prosperous middle and western regions.

Industrial transfer from east to west will narrow the regional development gap and nurture new growth points amid the economic slowdown, Fan said.

The concepts of the belt and maritime route were firstly proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in last year, and reiterated by Premier Li Keqiang at the Boao Forum in April.

Strengthening economic ties along the two routes is an opportunity for the country to push forward opening up and maintain economic advances.

The Silk Road connected China and European from around 100 B.C., while the maritime Silk Road was used by Chinese merchants to move silk, ceramics and tea to overseas markets.