国内英语新闻:Vice premier attends meeting on Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei development

BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on Thursday met with an expert advisory committee on the coordinated development of Beijing and Tianjin municipalities and Hebei Province.

Zhang lauded the expert panel's work during the past year, which offered valuable suggestions on the three regions' respective functions, as well as on major problems including transportation, environmental protection and industrial development.

The panel should continue to offer consultations to the three regions to make planning more forward-looking, targeted and feasible, Zhang said.

Local governments and the leading group for integrated development of the three regions should support the experts' work and create a sound environment for the committee, he said.

By 2017, major breakthroughs will be achieved in transportation integration, environmental protection and industrial upgrades in the integrated region, according to a document issued last month.

The strategy will see the relocation of nonessential functions from Beijing, which will help adjust the regional economic structure, nurture new growth sectors, and address problems common to megacities such as overpopulation, pollution, and resource scarcity.