Sichuan Province is an important province in western China, with rich natural resources and cultural landscapes, and is an important platform for economic development and cultural exchanges. In order to better promote the coordinated regional development of Sichuan Province and improve the competitiveness and influence of various regions, some netizens put forward a bold idea: merge Leshan City and Meishan City into a new prefecture-level city and establish Lemei City.
Both Leshan and Meishan are located in the southern part of Sichuan Province, close to Chengdu, and are an important part of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle. Both cities have a long history and splendid culture, and are one of the birthplaces of Buddhism in China, with many places of interest and natural scenery, such as Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Emei, Dan Ridge Stone Sea, Renshou Tianfu Country, etc., which are the tourist destinations that domestic and foreign tourists yearn for. The level of economic development of the two cities is also comparable, and in 2022, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Leshan City was 2,3088.1 billion yuan, Meishan City's GDP is 16355.1 billion yuan, all of which are at the upper middle level. So, what are the benefits of merging Leshan City and Meishan City into Lemei City?
Industrial development. The industrial structure of Leshan City and Meishan City is similar, with the tertiary industry as the mainstay, accounting for 44 percent of GDP respectively0% and 449%, mainly including tourism, commerce and trade, finance, education, health, etc. The secondary sector accounted for 43 percent of GDP in the two cities0% and 402%, mainly including steel, chemicals, building materials, machinery, electronics, food, etc. The proportion of the primary industry in GDP in the two cities is 130% and 148%, mainly including grain, oilseeds, tea, fruits, animal husbandry, aquatic products, etc.
The industrial development of Leshan City and Meishan City has strong complementarity and synergy. After the merger, Lemei City can better integrate the industrial resources of the two cities, optimize the industrial layout, form industrial clusters, and improve the added value and competitiveness of the industry. Lemei City can give full play to the advantages of tourism resources of the two cities, create a modern service industry system dominated by cultural tourism, attract more tourists and investment, increase tourism income and employment opportunities, and enhance the popularity and reputation of Lemei City.
Lemei City can also give full play to the advantages of the industrial base of the two cities, accelerate industrial transformation and upgrading, cultivate emerging industries, such as new energy, new materials, biomedicine, etc., enhance the innovation ability and efficiency of industry, and improve the industrial level and quality of Lemei City. Lemei City can also give full play to the advantages of agricultural resources of the two cities, promote agricultural modernization, develop characteristic agriculture, such as organic agriculture, leisure agriculture, tourism agriculture, etc., increase the added value and competitiveness of agriculture, and improve the agricultural income and well-being of farmers in Lemei City.
Infrastructure. The level of infrastructure construction in Leshan City and Meishan City is comparable, and both have relatively complete facilities such as transportation, communications, energy, water conservancy, and environmental protection. The two cities have a well-developed transportation network, with convenient road, rail, waterway and air transportation, connecting Chengdu, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan and other places. The two cities have advanced communication networks, with high-speed Internet, mobile communications, radio and television and other services, covering all corners of urban and rural areas.
The energy network of the two cities is stable, with sufficient electricity, natural gas, coal, etc., to meet all kinds of energy needs. The two cities have a well-developed water conservancy network, with abundant water resources, irrigation facilities, flood control projects, etc., to ensure agricultural production and people's livelihood. The two cities have an effective environmental protection network, with a good ecological environment, pollution control, garbage disposal, etc., and maintain green development and sustainable development.
The infrastructure construction of Leshan City and Meishan City has great synergy and room for improvement. After the merger, Lemei City can better coordinate the infrastructure construction of the two cities, optimize the infrastructure layout, form an infrastructure network, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of infrastructure. Lemei City can strengthen the transportation interconnection between the two cities, create a transportation hub centered on Lemei City, connect the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and the southwest region, and enhance the location advantages and radiation capacity of Lemei City.
Lemei City can also strengthen the communication informatization of the two cities, build an information center centered on Lemei City, connect the network platforms and markets at home and abroad, and enhance the information advantages and innovation capabilities of Lemei City. Lemei City can also strengthen the energy, water conservancy and environmental protection of the two cities, create an energy, water conservancy and environmental protection demonstration area centered on Lemei City, connect the energy, water conservancy and environmental protection strategy of Sichuan Province, and enhance the advantages and responsibilities of energy, water conservancy and environmental protection of Lemei City.
Urban and rural planning. The level of urban and rural planning in Leshan City and Meishan City is comparable, both have a relatively reasonable urban and rural layout, and both urban and rural areas have better development and living conditions. The two cities have a moderate urban scale, perfect urban functions, beautiful urban image, high urban quality, and urban residents enjoy a high standard of living and happiness. The villages of the two cities are of appropriate scale, complete rural functions, beautiful rural scenery, good rural quality, and rural residents enjoy better production conditions, living standards and happiness. The gap between urban and rural areas in the two cities is relatively small, the interaction between urban and rural areas is frequent, the integration of urban and rural areas is good, and urban and rural residents enjoy relatively fair development opportunities and social security.
The urban and rural planning of Leshan City and Meishan City has a lot of room for coordination and improvement. After the merger, Lemei City can better unify the urban and rural planning of the two cities, optimize the layout of urban and rural areas, form urban-rural integration, and improve the coordinated development and common prosperity of urban and rural areas. Lemei City can strengthen the urban construction of the two cities, create an urban agglomeration centered on Lemei City, connect Chengdu and other surrounding cities, and enhance the urban function and influence of Lemei City.
Lemei City can also strengthen the rural construction of the two cities, create a rural revitalization demonstration area centered on Lemei City, connect with the rural revitalization strategy of Sichuan Province, and enhance the rural vitality and charm of Lemei City. Lemei City can also strengthen the urban-rural integration of the two cities, create a coordinated urban-rural development model centered on Lemei City, connect the resources and needs of the city and the countryside, and enhance the urban-rural harmony and happiness of Lemei City.
Economic structure. The economic structure of Leshan City and Meishan City is similar, both have a relatively balanced proportion of the three industries, the economic growth rate is relatively fast, the economic quality is high, and the economic potential is greater. The economic growth rate of the two cities was 82% and 85%, higher than the national average, showing strong economic vitality and development momentum. The economic quality index of the two cities is 082 and 083, which is higher than the provincial average, shows high economic efficiency and effectiveness. The economic potential index of the two cities is 076 and 077, which is higher than the provincial average, shows a large economic space and development prospects.
The economic structure of Leshan City and Meishan City has strong interaction and room for improvement. After the merger, Lemei City can better integrate the economic resources of the two cities, optimize the economic structure, form economic synergy, and improve the scale effect and agglomeration effect of the economy. Lemei City can strengthen the economic cooperation between the two cities, create an economic circle centered on Lemei City, connect the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and the southwest region, and enhance the economic status and role of Lemei City.
Lemei City can also strengthen the economic innovation of the two cities, create an innovation zone centered on Lemei City, connect domestic and foreign innovation platforms and markets, and enhance the economic innovation ability and competitiveness of Lemei City. Lemei City can also strengthen the economic transformation of the two cities, create a transformation zone centered on Lemei City, connect the transformation and upgrading strategy of Sichuan Province, and improve the economic transformation capacity and quality of Lemei City.
Summary. In general, the merger of Leshan City and Meishan City into Lemei City is an idea that is conducive to the development and progress of the two cities. Lemei City can give full play to the advantages of resources, industries, infrastructure, urban and rural planning and economic structure of the two cities to form an emerging cultural tourism center, a modern service industry center, an innovative industrial center, a characteristic agricultural center, a harmonious urban-rural integration center, and a high-quality economic development center.