How China's regions develop together during the 14th Five-Year Plan

"For a meeting in east China's Shanghai in the morning, another in Nanjing, the capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, in the afternoon, and dinner back in Hangzhou, the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, at night, business trips have become as convenient as commuting," a resident of Hangzhou recently remarked. Across China, many people share similar experiences. Cities are closer, travel is faster, and regional economies are increasingly interconnected.

This convenience reflects a broader reality: China's coordinated regional development during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) has expanded economic opportunities, improved living standards, and strengthened regional synergy. Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area are driving high-quality growth, while eastern, central, western, and northeastern China show measurable progress.

"We adhere to the principle of viewing the nation as 'one chessboard,' adjusting policies according to local conditions and circumstances," said Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planner.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's regional coordination has achieved remarkable progress: functional positioning is clearer, complementarities are stronger, joint governance is tighter, and development vitality is more abundant, he added.

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Graphics: Snapshot of China's 14th Five-Year Plan achievements

In northern China, the story of BAIC's new energy super factory in Beijing's Miyun District illustrates the power of regional synergy. Aluminum wheels "run in" from Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, while digital keys are "born" in Tianjin. Together, they meet on the assembly line to produce advanced electric vehicles, reflecting how innovation, manufacturing and logistics now flow seamlessly across cities.

In 2014, China initiated the strategy of coordinating the development of the national capital of Beijing and neighboring Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province. Since then, the region has made remarkable breakthroughs in high-quality development.

By 2024, the region's combined GDP exceeded 9 trillion yuan, with technological contract transactions growing over 12 percent annually, demonstrating efficient transfer of knowledge and resources. Over 100 joint innovation platforms now connect research institutes, universities and enterprises across the three areas, enabling coordinated development in AI, integrated circuits and new energy vehicles.

Along the Yangtze River, ecological protection has become central to development. Wetlands have been restored, fish populations – including the Yangtze finless porpoise – are recovering, and chemical pollution has been substantially reduced. Factories and ports have upgraded production lines with green technologies, while major shipping routes now use cleaner fuels.

A flagship effort is the Yangtze River Delta Green Integration Demonstration Zone, established in 2019 and spanning Qingpu District of Shanghai, Wujiang in Jiangsu Province, and Jiashan in Zhejiang Province. Designed to follow an ecological development path, the zone has launched 180 major projects in areas such as environmental protection, infrastructure connectivity, industrial innovation, and public services.

By 2023, the zone's combined GDP had reached 472.5 billion yuan, while industrial output from enterprises above a designated size totaled 872.9 billion yuan – representing growth of 5.94 percent and 8.19 percent, respectively, compared with 2019. These achievements show how the Yangtze River Delta is aligning ecological protection with sustainable industrial growth, setting an example for the wider Yangtze River Economic Belt.

In southern China, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) continues to serve as a dynamic hub of global trade and innovation. The region has combined advanced manufacturing with a strong foreign trade sector, underpinning its role as a gateway to the world economy.

Despite external headwinds such as U.S. tariffs, the GBA has maintained robust momentum. From January to May 2025, the nine mainland cities of the region recorded a combined import and export volume of 3.61 trillion yuan, a 4.4 percent year-on-year increase – 1.9 percentage points higher than the national average – and accounting for 20.1 percent of China's total foreign trade, according to the Guangdong Sub-administration of the General Administration of Customs.

Private enterprises remained the backbone of GBA foreign trade, contributing 2.32 trillion yuan, up 4.8 percent year-on-year, while foreign-invested firms saw the fastest expansion, with their trade volume rising 4.9 percent to 1.12 trillion yuan.

As of 2024, the GBA is home to 22 Fortune Global 500 companies, 70 unicorn startups, and over 70,000 national-level high-tech enterprises.

Shared prosperity and industrial transfer

In December 2024, in Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, a blaze in a massive silicon furnace marked the launch of the Hersheng Silicon Hydroelectric Silicon Circular Economy Project.

"Zhaotong has abundant silicon and stable green electricity," said Luo Liguo, chairman of Hoshine Silicon Industry Co., Ltd, who moved from Zhejiang to invest. "Products are more low-carbon and production greener, supporting sustainable development."

Previously under-utilized, Zhaotong's silicon resources are now fueling local industry. Authorities actively attracted investment from the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area while improving infrastructure and industrial support.

Facilitated by national industry transfer initiatives, gradient transfers from eastern to western regions are accelerating. In Yunnan, over 70 percent of newly signed industrial projects in 2024 were implemented, covering silicon photovoltaics, new energy batteries, and other emerging sectors. In Heilongjiang, 172 projects were signed, nearly 70 percent in strategic emerging industries.

Central China has also leveraged its strategic position connecting east and west, north and south, to develop 18 strategic emerging industry clusters and 13 advanced manufacturing clusters. Sectors such as quantum technology, memory chips, and construction machinery are growing strongly, reinforcing the region's industrial vitality.

"We objectively recognize the development gaps between regions, and by tapping their potential we generate momentum to ensure that all areas and all people share the benefits of development," said Zheng.