A view of Ningbo Zhoushan Port in East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/Ningbo Evening News]

Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province will serve as an international gateway in the nation's modern comprehensive transportation system, according to a plan recently released by the State Council, China's Cabinet.

The role of cities including Nanjing, Hangzhou, Shenyang, Dalian, Harbin and Ningbo as international gateways will be heightened, the plan stated.

In the nation's transportation development plan for the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) period, Ningbo was positioned as a national comprehensive transportation hub.

By 2035, a convenient, cost-effective, green, smart, advanced and reliable modern national comprehensive transportation network will be completed in China.

The National 1-2-3 Travel Circle and the Global 1-2-3 Logistics Circle will take shape, providing convenient transport of passengers, and economical and efficient multimodal transport of goods, according to the plan.

The National 1-2-3 Travel Circle refers to a one-hour commute time in cities, a two-hour travel time within city clusters, and a three-hour travel between major domestic cities.

The Global 1-2-3 Logistics Circle refers to one-day delivery to destinations within China, two-day delivery to neighboring countries, and three-day delivery to major global cities, according to the document.