Jining in East China's Shandong province recently released a plan for its economic and social development in 2021, setting ambitious goals and announcing a series of measures to achieve high-quality overall development.

The city aims for a regional GDP growth above 6 percent, an over 7-percent increase of value-added of industries above designated scale, a more than 5-percent growth in fixed asset investment, as well as a 6-percent increase in retail sales of consumer goods. It also plans to outperform the provincial average in foreign trade and attracting overseas investment.

A series of steps will be taken to reach these objectives. Jining will ramp up efforts to develop its advanced manufacturing sectors, including engineering machinery and automobiles. Projects involved in these sectors will enjoy financial subsidies, low interest rate loans, and favorable policies related to land use.

In addition, more than 70 billion yuan ($10.72 billion) will be invested to improve production technologies in traditional industries like textiles, rubber, and paper making.

Jining also plans to foster a group of leading companies in emerging industries, such as new materials, biomedicine, semiconductors, and hydrogen energy. Modern services, like logistics and finance, will also receive a strong boost.

In order to improve the city's infrastructure, 16.9 billion yuan will be spent on the construction of 22 transportation projects, including several railway lines and new terminals at the airport, while a total of 6.4 billion yuan will be used to carry out water projects. Jining also plans to build 3,500 5G stations.

A number of innovation platforms, like Innovation Valley in Jining National High-tech Industrial Development Zone, will be established to support the development of high-tech sectors, such as big data, high-end equipment, and the digital industry. Jining will bring in more than 50 research and development institutions to help local companies make technological breakthroughs.

The city will also open up further to foreign investors and companies, build more ports and bonded logistics centers, as well as continue to improve its business environment.

In addition, great efforts will be made to boost consumption, rejuvenate local villages, and protect the environment.