Highlights of China's 12th Five-Year Plan

A draft of China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) was submitted Saturday morning to the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, for reviewing.

Following are the highlights of the draft of the plan, which was distributed to the media prior to the opening of the Fourth Session of the 11th NPC.

-- Population will be controlled below 1.39 billion;

-- Urbanization rate will reach 51.5 percent;

-- Value-added output of emerging strategic industries will account for 8 percent of GDP;

-- Foreign investment is welcomed in modern agriculture, high-tech and environment protection industries;

-- Coastal regions to turn from "world's factory" to hubs of R&D, high-end manufacturing and service sector;

-- Nuclear power will be developed more efficiently under the precondition of ensuring safety;

-- Construction of large-scale hydropower plants will gain momentum in southwest China;

-- Length of high-speed railway will reach 45,000 km;

-- Length of highway network will reach 83,000 km;

-- A new airport will be built in Beijing;

-- China to build 36 million affordable apartments for low-income people.

Special Report: NPC, CPPCC Annual Sessions 2011