The local governments of sites designated as ecological development areas in Guangdong province will be judged largely on the ecological protection in their performance assessment, a shift from the GDP-focused model.

The plan for "functional" areas in Guangdong was issued by the provincial government recently. It divides the province into four types of area, namely optimized, emphasized, ecological or prohibited development areas, Nanfang Daily reported on Tuesday.

More than 65 percent of the areas in Guangdong are classified as ecological, which will prioritize the ecological protection and agricultural development there.

The core areas in the Pearl River Delta, which has a dense population, intense development and places a heavy burden on environmental resources, are designated as optimized development areas.

The local governments there will be assessed primarily on the transformation in their development mode, with greater weight placed on the economic structure, resource consumption, environmental protection, innovation and public services to the migrant population. Less weight will be placed on the economic growth rate, investment solicitation and exports.

The plan is intended to formulate a rational and clear development strategy and provide guidance for the future development of the areas.

Guangdong is one of the first provinces to issue such a plan. The Guangdong government will grant different policies to different functional areas.

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