Long marred by administration barriers and competing local interests, the Yangtze River Delta is earmarked to become one of the most powerful economic centers in China.

A new draft plan pins the region's potential on an integrated approach to economic planning and development.

Experts who drafted the plan argue that current administration hurdles undermine the region's social and economic development and pose a threat to its overall national and global competitiveness.

Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu are located in the region.

Planners say they have addressed a raft of thorny issues including regional infrastructure facilities, overall regional competitiveness, innovation ability, and the construction of gigantic projects and urban administrative systems.

Under the draft plan, Shanghai will be the key hub to the region's development and planners expect it to become an international gateway into the Asia-Pacific region, and an important global base for advanced manufacturing industry. It would become the first region in China to become a "world-class city cluster".

The draft plan is now inviting comments from experts and local governments before it will be revised and submitted to the State Council, China's cabinet, for approval, according to Chen Xuanqing, deputy director of the regional economy bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

Some 400 experts, led by NDRC, have been involved in the development of the draft plan since 2004.

"It will help solve some critical regional problems that cannot be dealt with by an individual province or municipality," Chen told China Daily, citing the worsening pollution of the Taihu Lake, the largest lake in the region.

"Everyone wants to use the lake, but nobody pays attention to its environmental protection."

The area is the top economic powerhouse in China. With 1.1 percent of China's territory and 6.3 percent of the population, it accounts for 21 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), 20.4 percent of the revenue income, 40 percent of the foreign investment and 36 percent of the foreign trade. Some 400 companies from the Fortune 500 list have a foothold in the region.

Professor Xu Changle of East China Normal University, a member of the draft plan committee, called for the establishment of an institution "with teeth," such as one led by NDRC, to oversee the implementation of the plan.

(China Daily February 15, 2007)