The central government will release a batch of policies to promote regional development in the near future, according to Fan Hengshan, head of the regional economy department of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the 21st Century Business Herald reported.

The plans include choosing regions with better conditions and lifting the most destitute areas from poverty, Fan said at the Fourth Eco-Fortune (China) Forum on August 29.

Some regions at the provincial and municipal levels, like the Yellow River Delta Eco-Economic Region in Shandong province and the Poyang Lake Eco-Economic Region in Jiangxi province, have already been chosen or are about to become part of the country’s development plans, according to the 21st Century Business Herald. The State Council, the Cabinet, is also making individual development plans for Guizhou province and Gansu province respectively.

The policies will be based specifically on the regions’ different conditions in resources, geographic locations and economic development, Fan said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2009)