The State Council approved setting up a national innovation demonstration zone for sustainable development in Zaozhuang city, East China’s Shandong province, according to an official reply released on July 15.

Focusing on the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and China's national plan for implementation, and in accordance with the construction of the innovation demonstration zones, the circular urged integrated application of technologies involving intelligent agriculture, ecological circulation, big data, and internet of things.

Actions should enhance agriculture in rural areas, foster new drivers of growth in urban and rural areas, promote integrated urban and rural development, step up ecological construction in rural areas and support technological innovation, to serve as a demonstration of sustainable rural development in areas with similar characteristics and provide practical experience for implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the circular said.

The government of Shandong province should establish and improve the coordination mechanism of related work, according to the circular.

In building the innovation demonstration zone, the Ministry of Science and Technology should cooperate with member units of the inter-ministerial joint conference of the national experimental zone for sustainable development, to support Zaozhuang city in arranging major projects, piloting policies, and innovating systems and mechanisms.