Construction of large projects in Zhanjiang will not only help drive the local economy but also speed up the urbanization process, the city's mayor said.

Wang Zhongbing, mayor of Zhanjiang, said urbanization will better coordinate urban and rural development and push up local economic and social development.

"With construction of projects in the years ahead, especially large iron and steel and petrochemical ones, a large number of rural residents will move to urban areas to look for better jobs and living conditions," Wang said.