Recently, the "Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Territorial Space Plan (2021-2035)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan") was approved by the State Council. This marks major progress in the construction of Ningxia's territorial space planning system.

The Plan takes into account both the present and the long term: it considers the spatial needs of the autonomous region's "six new, six special, six excellent" industries and major projects, and simultaneously plans the spatial layout through 2035; it also provides planning guidance on coordinating the spatial layout of infrastructure and energy and resource development and on improving disaster risk prevention and control layouts, thereby providing spatial guarantees for the implementation of the major strategic tasks set out in Ningxia's development plan.

The Plan systematically optimizes the pattern of territorial space development and protection. On the basis of scientifically delineating and strictly observing the "three zones and three lines," it plans the region's agricultural, ecological, and urban space as a whole. In terms of agricultural space, it strictly protects cultivated land, expands space for agricultural production, optimizes the rural spatial layout, and builds a model area for comprehensive rural revitalization. In terms of ecological space, it implements the strategy of prioritizing ecology, promotes the establishment of Helan Mountain and Liupan Mountain national parks, improves the system of protected natural areas, coordinates the integrated protection and restoration of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, and firmly builds an important ecological security barrier in northwest China. In terms of urban space, it focuses on intensive and clustered development, highlights the status and leading role of Yinchuan as the capital, advances the integrated development of the urban agglomeration along the Yellow River, enhances the functions of Guyuan as a sub-central city, supports the high-quality development of development zones, and creates new livable and workable towns.

The Plan focuses on building higher-level channels for open cooperation, platforms for industrial collaboration, and models for ecological governance. It clearly sets out planning measures to proactively integrate into the Belt and Road Initiative, actively participate in the construction of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, advance cooperation among provinces and regions in the Yellow River Basin, and deepen East-West cooperation, so as to promote high-quality regional collaborative development. In addition, the Plan strengthens the overall protection and systematic adaptive reuse of cultural and natural heritage, improves the spatial protection mechanism for cultural and natural heritage, and builds a spatial system for the overall protection of cultural resources, natural resources, and landscape resources, showcasing the charm of the "Jiangnan Beyond the Great Wall."

"The Plan is an overall arrangement for Ningxia's territorial space, the policy and general outline for the protection, development, utilization, and restoration of territorial space throughout the region, the guide for Ningxia's spatial development, the spatial blueprint for sustainable development, and the basic basis for all types of development, protection, and construction activities. It must be strictly implemented, and no department or individual may modify it at will or alter it in violation of regulations." According to a relevant official of the Ningxia Department of Natural Resources, Ningxia will improve monitoring, evaluation, and early-warning mechanisms for the implementation of territorial space plans at all levels and of all types, and will use planning evaluation results as an important basis for supervising and assessing plan implementation. It will establish and improve a linkage mechanism for planning supervision, law enforcement, and accountability, implement full-life-cycle management of plans, and ensure the achievement of the goals and tasks set out in the Plan.