The Yangtze River Delta Region will achieve the goal of building a well-off society in an all-round way in 2015, five years ahead of the rest part of the country, according to the Regional Plan for the Yangtze River Delta which was approved by the central government in late May.

The term "well-off society", which means a society in which all people lead a fairly comfortable life, was first used by late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, who was reputed as the "chief architect" of China's reform and opening up drive. The objective of building a well-off society in an all-round way in 2020 in China was put forward by Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese leader, at the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2002.

Referring to Shanghai, and Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, China's major hubs of finance and private economy, the Yangtze River Delta covers an area of 210,700 sq km and has an edge in location, abundant natural resources and solid economic foundations.

The plan aims at developing the region into a key international gateway for the Asia-Pacific region, and also focuses on turning the region into an important global center for the modern service industry and advanced manufacturing industry, as well as a world-class cluster of cities.

According to the Regional Plan, in 2015, the GDP per capita in the region will amount to 82 thousand yuan，the proportion of service industry in the economy 48 percent, the level of urbanization 67 percent and the R&D expenditure 2.5 percent of GDP. In 2020, the region will realize modernization by and large with lots of measures to be taken.

In the plan, one body & two wings development strategy is very eye-catching, that is, Shanghai as the body playing the leading role and Nanjing and Hangzhou as the wing respectively acting the core in northern and southern part in the regional modern services development. As for Hangzhou, cultural and creative industry, tourism and entertainment and electronic commerce are the key points.

Yu Hongsheng, a member of NDRC’s Yangtze River Delta Regional Planning Comprehensive Group, said to the Wenhui Daily that “It is not only an economic development plan, but also a plan for sustainable and harmonious economic and social development.” Construction on people’s livelihood will be attached great importance and a solid social welfare network covering education and medicare will be built. By then people will enjoy higher happiness index.

Yangtze River Delta Regional Plan was started being drawn up in October 2004, and in last third of May 2010, it was approved by State Council to guide the regional development in future years. It is the first cross-province regional planning in China.

By Dong Jirong and Liu Aizhang