A bird's-eye view of Nantong, Jiangsu province [Photo by Peng Changqing]

Jiangsu province and Shanghai announced that they will work together to construct the Tongzhou Bay demonstration area as well as a new airport in Nantong during the 2020 Forum of Major Leaders of the Yangtze River Delta in Huzhou, Zhejiang province on June 6.

Both projects were included in the Outline of the Yangtze River Delta Regional Integration Development Plan issued by the State Council on Dec 1, 2019.

According to the agreements, the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, Shanghai International Port (Group) Co, the Transport Department of Jiangsu province, and Jiangsu Port Group Co will provide support in terms of planning, construction, operation, training of employees, and industrial development in the Tongzhou Bay area.

All parties will work to build Tongzhou Bay into a new hub for container transport at the estuary of the Yangtze River and a world-class port cluster with international competitiveness.

Meanwhile, the Jiangsu and Shanghai governments have agreed to invest, build and run the new airport in Nantong together. 

The new airport will be a key part of Shanghai’s international air transport hub, along with Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport, and will be connected to Shanghai via a comprehensive transportation network, mainly relying on railway.

The two sides will form a special team to ensure that all administrative procedures go smoothly and the airport can be put into use by the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).