Home> Government

Yellow River Triangle Plan Approved by State Council

The Shanxi-Shaanxi-Henan Yellow River Golden Triangle Regional Cooperation Plan was approved by the State Council on March 31, ushering in a period of rapid development for Sanmenxia.

The golden triangle area consists of the neighboring parts of Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan Provinces on both sides of the Yellow River, namely Yuncheng, Linfen, Weinan and Sanmenxia cities, covering an area of 57,800 square kilometers. Boasting several geographical advantages, it has great potential for development: rich natural resources, a favorable agricultural environment, a large number of tourist attractions, well-established transportation systems, and reasonably good industrial conditions.

By the end of 2013, the population in the region numbered 17.21 million, with a gross domestic production of 491.7 billion yuan ($79.07 billion). As it is a link between western and central China and is located in an important section of the Eurasian Land Bridge, the region could play a key role in carrying out the Western China Development Strategy and Rise of Central China Plan.

The State Council has stressed a number of points in implementing the plan, aimed at building the triangle into a new regional economic engine as a good example of integrated, leapfrog development in underdeveloped regions. It emphasized that local authorities should work on consolidating resources cross-provincially, establishing a suitable cooperation mechanism, and balancing the development interests of each province; that infrastructure should be interconnected, and industries be organized in a complementary manner; that joint efforts are called for in protecting ecological systems and providing basic public services.

The State Council also urged that the provincial governments of Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan should attach great importance to cooperation and coordination in handling major development issues in the triangle area, and a responsibility system should also be set up; the plan implementation should be apparent to the public and under its constant supervision; and major policies and projects involved in the plan should be submitted for legal approval before they are put into effect.

The State Council departments concerned are also required to provide guidance and support to the triangle in initiating and managing special projects, project design, and institutional reforms in their respective fields of work. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) should conscientiously supervise, coordinate, and assess the plan’s processing, find and promote desirable ways of working, help to figure out and solve emerging problems, and report in time to the State Council issues of concern.

The approval of the plan marks a major step in pushing forward the Western China Development Strategy and the Rise of Central China Plan, promising great development opportunities for Sanmenxia, central China’s Henan province. It is expected the plan will facilitate integration within the region and will contribute to developing new models for cross-provincial cooperation.

Map of the Yellow River Golden Triangle

People celebrate the approval of the Shanxi-Shaanxi-Henan Yellow River Golden Triangle Regional Cooperation Plan by the State Council at a get-together party in the International Cultural Exhibition Center in Sanmenxia, Henan province. [Photo/Sanmenxia Daily]

Edited by Liu Yufen and Brian Salter