In recent years, cities within the Hefei Metropolitan Area have closely collaborated and advanced together in areas such as policy mechanisms, industrial layout, transportation facilities, and public services. On November 19, reports learned from the Anhui Provincial Development and Reform Commission that in the first half of this year, the Hefei Metropolitan Area achieved a regional GDP of 765.203 billion yuan, making it an important engine driving high-quality economic development across the province.

In terms of industrial capacity enhancement, the Hefei Metropolitan Area has continuously improved the level of industrial integration. The construction of the Xinqiao Science and Technology Innovation Demonstration Zone (Hefei-Huainan Cooperation Zone) has accelerated significantly, and the Hefei-Lu'an Economic Corridor and Hefei-Huainan Industrial Corridor are being advanced rapidly. The Huoqiu Modern Industrial Park in Hefei High-tech Zone has been approved as one of the first inter-provincial industrial cooperation demonstration parks in the Yangtze River Delta in Anhui. Currently, the Hefei Metropolitan Area has formed a complete new energy vehicle industry chain, gathering eight vehicle manufacturers, including JAC, Chery, NIO, Volkswagen Anhui, and Hefei BYD, along with over 1,200 parts suppliers. In 2023, Hefei's production of new energy vehicles reached 746,000 units, ranking among the top five cities in the country, and is expected to rise to the top three this year.

This year, cities within the Hefei Metropolitan Area have become more interconnected. In terms of building a "one-hour commuting circle," the Hefei section of the Mingguang-Chaohu Expressway and the S329 Hefei-Lu'an South Passage have been fully opened, while the Chuzhou-Hefei-Zhoukou Highway Hefei section and S92 Chuzhou-Hefei branch line are under large-scale construction. The total length of expressways in Hefei has reached 574 kilometers, accelerating the formation of a highway network consisting of "two rings and seventeen spokes." Highways departing from Hefei now cover all cities and counties within the metropolitan area. The main waterway of the Yangtze-to-Huaihe water diversion project has been fully opened, with nearly 600 kilometers of navigable inland waterways, and Hefei Port has an annual comprehensive throughput capacity of 600,000 TEU, having been approved as a national logistics hub for production services.

With prosperity "inside the area," there are more benefits for residents. The Hefei Metropolitan Area is striving to build a "high-quality living circle." In healthcare, expert teams from Hefei Maternal and Child Health Hospital are sent to cities within the metropolitan area to provide assistance, with over 100 outpatient days and more than 3,000 patients treated each year. In cultural tourism, "multi-stop" tourism routes featuring red culture and modern urban life are being planned, with the Hefei-Shucheng Wanfo Lake Scenic Area and Hefei-Shouxian Ancient City tourist bus line officially launched and in operation.

Source: Hefei Daily