China's State Council yesterday approved a plan to deepen reform and opening up in the southern Pearl River Delta area, where the country's reform and opening up drive was initiated 30 years ago.

The plan was unveiled on the day when the nation was commemorating the 30th anniversary of the 3rd plenary session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which decided to open up the country and reform its struggling economy.

The pioneer area of the country's reform and opening up scheme was urged to accelerate economic restructuring and take the lead in building a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society, according to the plan approved by an executive meeting of the State Council, or the Cabinet.

The plan also pressed the area to promote technologies so as to excel in innovation, and coordinated development in both urban and rural areas was also stressed.

The meeting, presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao, said the area was also to take the lead in deepening reforms and opening up, so that an improved socialist market economy system could be established and a more open economic system could be set up as the region enhances its cooperation with neighbors Hong Kong and Macau.

The meeting said the Pearl River Delta is still maintaining stable and relatively fast development at present, but it also admitted that the area received powerful shocks from the current financial crisis, as there are many smaller and export-oriented enterprises in the region.

To keep the pace of development would be the top priority of the region at the present stage, the meeting said.