Editor's note: Hubei province has been a regional industrial, transport and cultural center in Central China since late 19th century. It's set to continue to champion the rise and urbanization of the region. China Daily talked with Li Hongzhong, the Party chief and top legislator of Hubei, to find out more.

The central government approved the development plan for a city cluster in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in April. What do you expect for the future development of Hubei within the cluster?

Li: The city cluster is made up of three sub-clusters in Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, covering an area of 317,000 square kilometers. Its development is of strategic importance for the rise and urbanization of central China. The Hubei provincial authorities first proposed the concept of the city cluster in 2012, because we believe the creation of the cluster can lead to coordinated development and economic transformation of the three provinces. The support of the central government, the coordination of the three provincial authorities and the will of the people to pursue better lives will turn the concept on paper into a national development strategy.