Great changes have taken place in Lishui city, located in East China's Zhejiang province, during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), according to local officials.

The urbanization rate of Lishui's permanent residents rose from 56.4 percent at the end of 2015 to 63 percent in 2019, while the built-up area of the central urban area expanded to 39.4 square kilometers, official data revealed.

By 2019, construction of Lishui's urban infrastructure had accelerated and the total length of the city's highways was 15,680 kilometers, including 419 km of expressways, further completing the transport network.

Officials said that with the construction of Lishui Airport having started, the city will soon realize a leap forward from the high-speed railway era to the aviation era. A three-dimensional transportation network will also soon take shape in Lishui.

Along the way, the city has helped 202,000 households to relocate from remote mountainous and other areas to live a more convenient life.

This year, in order to promote the in-depth integration of mountains and waters and the city, Lishui held an international urban design competition. Officials said it was a high-profile and prestigious event that attracted many design institutes, from home and abroad.