A news conference in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province unveils plans to build four metropolitan areas with global influence on Feb 21. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

East China's Zhejiang province announced plans to build four metropolitan areas with global influence by 2035 at a news conference in Hangzhou on Feb 21.

Metropolitan areas are regions in city clusters that circle the city and are within an hour of commute from the city.  

In Zhejiang, the cities of Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou and Jinhua (Yiwu) have been chosen as the centers of its four metropolitan areas which are expected to be the main driving forces for the construction of Zhejiang Greater Bay Area, an economic and industrial belt centered on Hangzhou Bay.

Weng Jianrong, deputy director of Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Commission, explained that the conception and implementation of the plans for metropolitan areas will always be people-oriented. They will focus on enhancing science and technology and improving people's livelihoods.

The four center cities will build a batch of advanced platforms for science and technology, finance, opening-up, intelligent manufacturing and cross-border e-commerce based on their own industrial advantages.

The plans also stated that notable progress should be made in the construction of the areas by 2022 with their GDP representing over 78 percent of the province's total and the number of talents exceeding 10 million.