Covering a 358,000-square kilometer expanse, the Yangtze River Delta, consisting of Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, is one of the most populated and urbanized city clusters in China, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The new pilot FTZ in Anhui focuses on the in-depth integration of scientific and technological innovation and high-end manufacturing, and the added area of the FTZ in Zhejiang aims to build a new type of international trade center and a global shipping and logistics hub.

Zhang Wei, deputy head of the CAITEC, which is an affiliate of the Ministry of Commerce, said FTZs have been playing an important role in China's regional development, and are set to intensify cooperation with each other for the high-quality development of the Chinese economy during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).

The Communist Party of China Central Committee's proposals for formulating the 14th Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, unveiled last month, also called for efforts to promote coordinated regional development, including the integration of the Yangtze River Delta.

Zhang from the CAITEC said free trade zones have differentiated development focuses and advantages, and as their total number has increased, it is natural for those in the same region to leverage on each other's advantages to coordinate development and promote innovation.

Coordination among FTZs is critical for the further development of the zones and the overall economy, she said.

"Regional economic integration is a new feature of the development of the Chinese economy, and FTZs are important pillars for regional economic development," said Zhang.