The National Development and Reform Commission recently approved the establishment of a demonstration zone in Dalian, Liaoning province, for China-Japan regional development cooperation.

According to the city's development and reform commission, the Dalian demonstration zone covers an area of nearly 53 square kilometers, with Dalian Jinpu New Area, the country's 10th national new area, as the core and with industrial parks along the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea forming two wings.

It consists of several parts, including the New Japanese Industrial Park, Songmu Island and Xizhong Island.

The zone will focus on high-end equipment manufacturing and the new materials industry; build cooperation platforms for technological innovation, industrial docking and financial services; strengthen cooperation with Japan; and drive industrial transformation and upgrades in Northeast China.

Sources with Dalian's development and reform commission said the coastal city will further optimize its business environment, create a quality service environment for enterprises, increase support and ensure smooth construction progress in the zone.

Several other cities were also approved for demonstration zones - Tianjin; Shanghai; Suzhou, Jiangsu province; Qingdao, Shandong province; and Chengdu, Sichuan province.