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Jiaxing is now home to 22 provincial "beautiful countryside" demonstration towns and 28 3A-level village scenic spots. [Photo/grandcanaltravel.com]

Jiaxing and Huzhou have been selected as national pilot zones for integrated urban-rural development, according to a notice released by the National Development and Reform Commission on Dec 27.

The Jiaxing-Huzhou zone includes the entirety of the two cities and revolves around five main tasks, including promoting the coordinated development of urban and rural industries, the value realization of ecological products, and promoting equal access to basic public services in urban and rural areas.

Over the past 15 years, Jiaxing has worked hard to resolve problems related to unbalanced development between urban and rural regions, making the city a pioneer in promoting integrated urban-rural development.

In 2018, the per capita disposable income among rural Jiaxing residents totaled 34,279 yuan ($4916.17), marking the city's 15th year at the top spot among cities in Zhejiang. Its ratio of urban to rural income was reduced to 1.676 to 1 that year as well.

Over the years, Jiaxing has been working to create a modern urban-rural layout by promoting the connectivity of infrastructure projects related to transport, water supplies, power systems, and information networks.

The industrial layout in urban and rural areas in Jiaxing has been optimized, and its agricultural modernization index ranks third in the province. The rural tourism sector and e-commerce have maintained rapid growth over the past few years as well.

The city has also made progress in garbage classification and sewage disposal among rural households, and has made significant efforts to clean up wastewater and waste gas, purify soil, and restore blue skies and clear water. In recent years, the quality of its air, surface water, and drinking water have greatly improved.

In the future, the city plans to continue pursuing the rural revitalization strategy and carry out new urbanization in an effort to achieve high-quality development in its rural areas and serve as a practical model for other cities in China.