Time line

March 2004

The goal of "the rise of central region" first appears in the Government Work Report delivered by then premier Wen Jiabao.

April 2006

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council make public a detailed guideline on promoting development of the central region.

April 2007

An office is established in the National Development and Reform Commission to promote the central region.

September 2009

A State Council executive meeting presided over by then premier Wen Jiabao adopts a plan to promote development of the central region, setting goals of building the region into a national grain production base, an energy raw material base, a modern equipment manufacturing and high-tech industrial base, and an integrated transportation hub.

December 2016

A State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang approves an upgraded 2016-25 plan. The meeting details major tasks of the plan including guiding the transfer of industries from more developed coastal regions to inland central regions.

May 21, 2019

President Xi Jinping presides over a work symposium on the rise of the central region and delivers a speech in Jiangxi's provincial capital Nanchang. He calls for efforts to enhance the competitiveness of the country's central region and to make new advances on its rise.