Meng Wei, spokeswoman for the National Development and Reform Commission. [Photo/china.com.cn]

Joint efforts should be made to develop the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) into a new center for opening up, said Meng Wei, spokeswoman for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), at a press conference on June 17.

She urged that construction of new areas in Shanghai FTZ be accelerated and that a special economic function zone be built that is more competitive and influential in the international market.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, the three provinces (Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui) and one city (Shanghai) in the Yangtze River Delta region have carried out useful explorations in deepening regional cooperation. The integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta has been advancing efficiently.

She said that in the future, on the basis of existing cooperation, the three provinces and Shanghai should deepen integrated construction in key areas such as transportation, ecological environment, innovation, and opening up.

When jointly building an integrated transportation system, they should strengthen division of labor and management coordination, optimize port layout, improve management and services, reduce customs clearance time, as well as cut compliance costs.

In terms of ecological environment, they should focus on the themes of protecting the ecological environment and achieving green development. They should promote coordinated environmental governance, as well as build a demonstration area for ecological and green integration in the Yangtze River Delta.

In addition, it is also necessary to strengthen collaborative innovation. The three provinces and Shanghai should be bold in becoming "pioneers" of innovation, work together to advance in a number of core technologies, jointly promote the transfer and transformation of scientific and technological achievements, as well as continuously enhance the region's position in the global value chain.

They should also make concerted efforts to promote opening-up, deepen cooperation, and strive for high-quality development of the free trade zone.

They should promote high-level opening-up through institutional innovation and push reforms with high standards to enhance the competitive advantages of the Yangtze River Delta region in international cooperation.