The liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal owned by Chinese energy company ENN Group in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, receives its first LNG tanker Stena Blue Sky on Aug 7, 2018. [Photo/IC] 

"Zhoushan will fully leverage its advantages in opening-up, geography, and maritime services to serve as a bridgehead in the integration of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region," said Yu Donglai, Party chief of Zhoushan, an island city in East China's Zhejiang province. 

Yu made the remarks in an interview with the local media after attending a conference on YRD integration held by Zhejiang authorities on June 21.

According to Yu, Zhoushan will focus on three areas as it works to integrate the YRD region.

Firstly, Zhoushan will further develop its China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone by promoting system innovations and strengthening the construction of an oil and gas industrial chain. It will accelerate construction on an international oil trade center and an environmentally-friendly petrochemical base.

Secondly, the city will further open itself to the outside world. It will prioritize integration with Ningbo and boost partnership with Shanghai.

Thirdly, Zhoushan will step up construction on a river-sea intermodal service center to promote infrastructure inter-connectivity. Several key projects will be pushed ahead, such as the Ningbo-Zhoushan High-Speed Railway and Ningbo-Zhoushan Port Main Channel.