The city of Ordos – located in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region – recently announced its development goals for the next five years.

Under the plans, Ordos will target making new progress and breakthroughs in the following six areas:

Comprehensive economic gains

Over the five-year period, the economic development of Ordos is projected to continue to lead the region and its GDP is seen joining the top 50 in the country.

In so doing, the city will speed up its industrial transformation and upgrading. Plans are to cultivate and form two industrial clusters each with an output value of over 200 billion yuan ($30 billion) in the coal and coal chemicals industries – as well as three industrial clusters, each with an output value of over 100 billion yuan in new energy, equipment manufacturing and new materials.

It will also make efforts to cultivate two industrial clusters in the power sector, as well as in oil and gas, each with an annual output value of over 50 billion yuan.

The output values of its digital economy, energy saving and environmental protection, cashmere textiles and biomedicine industries are estimated to exceed 10 billion yuan each.

Tech innovation to make new breakthroughs

In the next five years, R&D expenditure in Ordos is expected to increase by an average of more than 25 percent annually, while the number of high-tech enterprises and small and medium-sized technology companies in the city will double.

In addition, Ordos is seen as having more than 200 scientific and technological innovation platforms above the autonomous region level, and it will train and cultivate first-class scientific and technological leaders and innovative teams.

Reforms, opening-up to deepen

Ordos will further improve its government affairs services and create a market-oriented, legalized and internationalized top-flight business environment.

The Ordos-Yulin-Yan'an High-speed Railway and the Baotou-Ordos High-speed Railway are scheduled to complete construction and start operations over the period.

A rapid railway network connecting Hohhot, Ordos and Baotou cities – which shortens the commute among the three cities to one hour – will be established.

Moreover, Ordos will build itself up as a regional aviation hub and will join the ranks of the top 50 cities in terms of foreign trade and trade within the country.

Green, low-carbon development advances

By 2026, the green coverage, energy-saving production and low-carbon levels of Ordos will be greatly improved. The integrated protection of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasses and sand regions will be more effective and all mines in Ordos will be eco-friendly producers.

Meanwhile, the control of energy consumption and carbon emissions intensity of enterprises in the city is projected to reach the advanced national level.

Ordos will ultimately become a national demonstration city for ecological civilization construction and a pilot area for environmental protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin.

Regional coordinated development accelerates

Ordos will support the district of Dongsheng's development as a modern equipment manufacturing base. It will help Kangbashi district to establish a digital economy integration pilot area, Dalad Banner to create a new energy industry base and assist Juungar Banner's push to speed up the integrated development of clean and efficient utilization of coal and new energy.

Meanwhile, the city's Ejin Horoo Banner will develop a complete industry supply chain consisting of wind and solar power, as well as hydrogen storage and hydrogen vehicles. Uxin Banner will develop a modern coal chemicals industry, Hanggin Banner will construct a large-scale wind and solar power storage base, Otog Banner will advance the development of the fine chemicals industry and Otog Front Banner will establish a new energy industry.

Achieve common prosperity

By 2026, the average income of urban and rural residents in Ordos will reach 65,000 yuan and 30,000 yuan, respectively.

All levels and types of education in the city will develop in a better and more balanced way and its medical and health care industries will reach a leading level in the region.

A diversified elderly care service system will basically be formed and cultural and sports sectors will prosper.