The China (Zhejiang) Free Trade Pilot Zone is inaugurated in Zhoushan in April 2017. [Photo/WeChat account: Zhoushan net]

The past 70 years have seen dramatic changes in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province.

The city was liberated by the People's Liberation Army on May 17, 1950. In January 1987, the State Council, China's cabinet, approved the establishment of Zhoushan city. 

In June 2010, the Zhoushan Archipelago New Area was approved by the State Council. It is the fourth State-level New Area after Pudong New Area in Shanghai, Binhai New Area in Tianjin and Liangjiang New Area in Chongqing. 

In April 2017, the China (Zhejiang) Free Trade Pilot Zone was inaugurated in the city. 

Poor traffic conditions were the main reason behind Zhoushan's slow economic growth. However, the situation started to change with the opening of the Zhoushan-Ningbo Cross-sea Bridge in 2009. 

The city's connectivity with the mainland is expected to improve further as its first railway line was approved by the provincial government earlier this year. The 27-billion-yuan ($3.91 billion) Ningbo-Zhoushan Railway spans 77 kilometers.

Zhoushan presently has 53 ports with a total area of 1,344.8 square kilometers. Its first port was built in 1986.