North China's Shanxi province had cumulatively approved the establishment of 86 development zones above the provincial level by the end of July, with the total planned area reaching 7,186 square kilometers, according to local officials. 

Of these, 67 are industrial development zones with a planned area of 2,853 sq km, while 12 are modern agricultural industrial demonstration zones with a planned area of 1,490 sq km and seven are ecological and cultural tourism demonstration zones with a planned area of 2,843 sq km. 

Officials said that so far, 40 development zones above the provincial level have completed surveying and verifying land.

It's expected that the land surveys of all 86 development zones above the provincial level will be completed before the end of 2020. 

This will accurately confirm the boundaries of development zones, to prevent and solve disputes caused by unclear boundary divisions and to facilitate the economical and intensive use of the land.

According to a conference on Shanxi's development zone reform and innovation held in 2016, the province aims to let each city own at least one national development zone and each county with at least one provincial development zone within five to 10 years. 

The province also set a goal that the added value created by local development zones to account for over 25 percent of the province's gross domestic product by the end of 2020 and over 50 percent by the end of 2025.