BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) - The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a meeting on Friday to review a master plan for the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle.

An aerial view of Chengdu-Chongqing Expressway. (File photo: CFP)

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting.

The meeting pointed out that promoting the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle is a crucial move to foster a new development pattern that takes the domestic market as the mainstay while allowing domestic and foreign markets to boost each other.

Work will be done to turn the Chengdu-Chongqing area, which is in southwest China, into an important economic center, a center for scientific and technological innovation, a new highland for reform and opening up, a livable place with a high quality of life, and a crucial driver of the country's high-quality development, the meeting stressed.

The meeting urged the Chengdu-Chongqing area to optimize its cooperation mechanism, establish a high-standard market system, create a first-class business environment and actively participate in the new development pattern.

More efforts should be made in environmental protection and the promotion of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

Meanwhile, the meeting called for improving the development level and comprehensive competitiveness of Chongqing's main urban areas and Chengdu, and forming an integrated metropolitan area with surrounding cities and counties.