Lanzhou New Area () is a state-level new area (special economic and political administration zone) established in 2012 and is under the direct control of the municipal government of Lanzhou, Gansu province. It is located in the valley around Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport, 30 kilometres from the old city of Lanzhou. It is the first state-level new development area in northwestern China, and the fifth state-level new area in the country. Background The establishment of Lanzhou New Area (LNA) is the culmination of multiple strategies both from Chinese Central Government and Gansu Provincial Government. Since China launched its Western Development initiative in 2000, several 'Western' Provinces, such as Shanxi, Guangxi, etc. have seen a flurry of investments during the last decade due to the favorable policies those provinces received from China's Central Government. With huge amount of capital investment issued from State's Financial Department, those provinces developed rapidly with a progressive GDP growth rate, a gradually mature industry structure and an efficient communication system. Though the provinces mentioned above developed quickly, none of those fast developing provinces are actually located in the geographical West of China, although the Chinese Central Government classified them into the 12 Western provinces. Lanzhou is intended to achieve the ideal of 'common wealth' as outlined by the Communist Party of China through the rapid development of Western provinces. The geographical location of Lanzhou New Area holds significant advantages to its future economic growth. Lanzhou, 30 kilometres south from the New Area, is the biggest city among two megacities (Ürümqi and Xi'an) in this vast region, and is relatively close to two other capital cities, (Xining of Qinghai Province and Yinchuan of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region). These three capital cities are close enough to form a regional economic conglomeration, and Lanzhou New Area is envisioned as the center of this amalgamation. The development of LNA will boost the development of its adjacent areas. Lanzhou's main urban area is constrained in size by its geographical topography, since it is a typical valley sandwiched by mountains, with the Yellow River crossing by. The topography of Lanzhou hampers this city to become a continuous megacity like Beijing or Xi’an. The General Office of the State Council issued the Several Advice about Supporting the Development of Economy and Society of Gansu Province in May 2010, especially stating that Lanzhou has to be the impetus of the development of Gansu Province, and