Strategic study on comprehensive reform for ecological protection and economic development of the upper Yangtze River

Abstract

Depending on the golden water way to promote the development of Yangtze River Economic Zone is an important national strategy of the new normality. How to interpret and implement the concept of “ecological priority and green development” and “implementing big protection and prohibiting large-scale development”proposed by President Xi Jinping, is becoming the key points of the Yangtze River Economic Zone. However, the upper reach of Yangtze River is a difficult region to which its importance has not been attached in building up the Yangtze Economic Zone. This paper proposes a tentative plan to establish “Experimental Region of Comprehensive Reforms for Ecological Protection and Economic Development of the Upper Yangtze River”, through an unified top planning, collaboration among the related provinces, five pillar industries and the establishment of infrastructural fund, so as to resolve the conflict between protection and development, while focusing on structural (institutional) reform and mechanism innovation, to release further the local governments' energies on resources management, environmental protection, economic and social development. This paper discusses the strategic significance, development orientations, and the key innovative contents of the Experimental Region.