A provincial business conference was held in Taiyuan, capital of North China's Shanxi province, on Jan 15, outlining key objectives for 2024. 

The meeting emphasized optimizing the spatial layout of development zones, promoting the concentration of advantageous industries, and strengthening regional cooperation within these zones. 

Efforts will be made to establish the "Shanxi Night" event brand, deeply integrate into the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and nurture more foreign investment projects. 

Furthermore, initiatives will be undertaken to promote the integration of commerce, culture, and tourism, launch trade-in programs for durable goods such as automobiles and home appliances, and advance the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade. 

In addition, there will be a focus on expanding the export of intermediate goods, advancing cross-border e-commerce, and developing trade in services and digital trade. 

Shanxi also plans to apply to establish the China (Shanxi) Free Trade Pilot Zone, strengthen the support of open platforms, and enhance and expand the functions of open channels.