The State Council has approved a national territorial spatial plan for Kunming, the capital city of Southwest China's Yunnan province, for the 2021-2035 period, according to an official reply issued on Dec 20.

As an international comprehensive transportation hub, Kunming is a regional central city open to South Asia and Southeast Asia and a national historical and cultural city.

As per the reply, by 2035, the total area of cultivated land in Kunming should be no less than 5.628 million mu, of which the protection area for permanent basic farmland should be at least 4.52 million mu, and the red line area for ecological protection should not be less than 4265.03 square kilometers.

The reply called upon Kunming to deeply integrate into the joint construction of the Belt and Road, strengthening its leading and radiating role in South and Southeast Asia regions, enhancing cooperation with other cities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt and playing a lead role in the coordinated development of city clusters in central Yunnan province.

Efforts should be made to accelerate the building of an urban system featuring regional coordination and urban-rural integration, improve service capabilities of downtown areas, and spur the development of Dianzhong New Area in an orderly manner.

Meanwhile, the reply also stressed the need to fortify ecological barriers in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, and advance comprehensive treatment of the water environment of Dianchi Lake and Yangzonghai Lake.

Moreover, Kunming should guarantee space to meet modern urban agriculture’s requirement for further development and expand the development space for characteristic agriculture.

Priorities should be given to guarantee the space demand of advanced manufacturing, and the spatial layout for the modern services industry including tourism and trade should be improved.

To build a comprehensive urban transport network that is safe, convenient, green and low-carbon, Kunming is asked to build an international aviation hub, connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia, strengthen its function as a railway hub and improve external and internal channels with multi-directional connectivity and multimodal transport.

In addition, the protection mechanism for cultural and natural heritages should be improved, according to the reply.