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

The city will make new progress and breakthroughs in the following six areas:

Comprehensive economic gains

Over the five-year period, the economic development of Ordos will lead the region and its GDP is expected to rank the top 50 among all cities in the country.

The city will speed up its industrial transformation and upgrading and map out plans to cultivate and form two industrial clusters in the coal and coal chemicals industries, each with an output value of over 200 billion yuan ($27.89 billion), as well as three industrial clusters of new energy, equipment manufacturing and new materials, each with an output value of over 100 billion yuan.

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

The output value of its sectors covering digital economy, energy saving and environmental protection, cashmere textile and biomedicine is estimated to exceed 10 billion yuan each.

Tech innovation to make new breakthroughs

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

In addition, Ordos has more than 200 scientific and technological innovation platforms above the autonomous region level, and will cultivate more 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 Baotou-Ordos High-speed Railway are scheduled to complete construction and start operations over the five-year period.

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

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

Green, low-carbon development

By 2026, Ordos will improve its green coverage, energy-saving production and low-carbon development. 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.

Meanwhile, the control of energy consumption and carbon emissions of companies 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   

Ordos will support Dongsheng district's development into a modern equipment manufacturing base. It will help Kangbashi district to establish an integrated pilot area for digital economy, Dalad banner to create a new energy industry base, and Juungar banner 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 its fine chemicals industry; and Otog front banner will establish a new energy industry.

Achieving 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 healthcare industries are to reach a leading level in the autonomous region.

A diversified elderly care service system will be formed, and cultural and sports sectors are expected to prosper.