Guangdong Province has formulated plans to expand six cities in the Pearl River Delta into metropolitans with populations of above 1 million and raise the urban population of the province to 70 percent of the total by 2010.

Under a plan by the Guangdong Development Planning Commission unveiled Friday, the big six will include Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan and Jiangmen.

The ambitious plan includes programs on infrastructure, environmental protection, wide application of information technology, and growth of the high-tech sector in the region.

Infrastructure construction has been targeted as the most important way to realize the plan for the delta, which accounts for one third of China's exports.

By 2010, expressway mileage in the delta is expected to reach 2,200km, up from the current figure of less than 1,000 km.

The power generating capacity in the region will reach 48.64 million kilowatts combined with an increase of 509km of natural gas pipelines.

The output value of the high-tech sector is expected to grow by about 20 percent annually to one trillion yuan (US$121.9b).

By 2010, Internet subscribers in the delta are expected to number 25 million with 400 personal computers for every 1,000 residents and phone access for all.

Export target for the region is set at US$200b by 2010, which demands an annual average growth rate of 8 percent.

Editor: James