Lush rice terraces are seen in Qingxi village of Qiandaohu town, Chun'an county, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Sept 13. [Photo/IC]

The Yangtze River Delta Green Integration Demonstration Zone has implemented 14 out of 18 reform mandates granted by China's central government, officials announced at a work conference held on Sept 13. Nine additional provincial-level reforms are also underway.

Established in 2019, the demonstration zone spans Qingpu district in Shanghai, Wujiang district in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, and Jiashan county in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. It is China's first cross-provincial pilot zone designed to pioneer green and integrated development across administrative boundaries.

To date, the zone has launched 154 institutional innovations, with 57 of them selected for national rollout. The region's reform experiences are now being replicated in other inter-provincial border areas across the country.

However, new challenges have emerged as reforms deepen. One such issue involves foreign nationals who enter China visa-free through Shanghai and travel to the demonstration zone. While initial measures have been introduced, further steps are needed to facilitate extended stays for business negotiations and academic exchanges.