Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, announced that it will develop itself into a multi-modal transport hub with the support of the regional transport authorities.

The news came during a ceremony between the two sides on Dec 15, with Gao Shiqin, head of the Transport Department, and Hohhot Mayor He Haidong signing a cooperation framework agreement.

The move is a response to the city's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and aims to develop the city into a multi-modal transport hub through the joint efforts of both sides.

According to the agreement, the two sides will seek to build Hohhot into "an important ecological safety shield" and "a barrier for safety and stability" in North China, as well as a bridgehead for northward opening-up and the border economic belt.

They will strengthen cooperation to improve transport facilities, renovate national and provincial highways, connect urban roads with expressways, construct high-quality rural roads and a new airport-based transport hub by deepening supply-side structural reform.

Bao Gang, Party chief of the city, met with Gao Shiqin before signing the ceremony. They exchanged ideas on topics such as transport planning, innovation of green transportation, improvement of infrastructure and the role of transport in supporting industrial development and the regional economy.

Officials from the municipal government Liu Jiying and Zhang Yongwen, deputy head of the transport department Yun Wenjing and Li Xi were also present at the meeting.