Changchun city and Jilin city in Northeast China's Jilin province on Aug 10 signed a framework agreement to promote their integrated development at a ceremony held in Changchun, the provincial capital, according to local media reports.

Under the agreement, the two will explore establishing a regional linkage system.

Officials said this is in accordance with the idea of having "complementary urban functions, regional linkage, node support and network development", in order to promote the construction of a Changchun-Jilin metropolitan area.

They said the two sides expressed the intention to promote and launch 44 specific areas of cooperation.

According to media reports, the joint goals of the two sides are: by 2025 to have basically completed the construction of major integrated infrastructure; basic completion of the integration of public services; industrial clusters to be formed; their  environment to be more livable and beautiful and the positive integration effect on both cities to have been realized.

Officials said the Changchun-Jilin metropolitan area will have a leading role in advancing the development and upgrading the whole province and it will become an influential modern metropolitan area in China.

The two cities are expected to jointly drive the province's agricultural modernization to higher levels.

The strengthened development of the Changchun-Jilin modern metropolitan area will expand the overall high-quality development of regional economy.

It is expected to speed up the construction of infrastructure, especially transportation infrastructure, as well as add impetus to the construction of major projects.

Moreover, officials said it will promote the flow of people and goods between the two cities, so as to benefit residents of both metropolises.