All three are located in the Yangtze Delta, one of the most developed areas in China.

A number of programs and activities will be hosted in these areas, including tourism fairs and expositions. The three will also form joint delegations to attend domestic tourism expositionsand an international tourism exposition hosted by other provinces.

They also plan to cooperate on a series of major international activities in the coming few years.

These are some of the initiatives being taken to integrate their economies based on their economic, cultural and geographic similarities and links.

The trio's population accounts for 10 percent of the national total of 1.3 billion, while their combined GDP exceeds 20 percent of the national total.

While 200 million trips are made by residents of Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang annually, these areas also receive a large number of tourist arrivals due to their abundant tourism resources.

(People's Daily March 31, 2003)