February 4, CSR Asia - The area surrounding China's largest freshwater lake is being turned into a national experimental field for low-carbon economy development, a top official said last week.

The Poyang Lake eco-economic zone in east China's Jiangxi province will become a model to show that robust economic growth can be achieved without sacrificing the environment, Governor Wu Xinxiong said at a press conference.

The 51,200-sq-km zone, bigger than the size of Switzerland, is home to a population of 20 million in 38 cities and counties, including the provincial capital Nanchang.

According to the plan, development and construction will be "totally forbidden" in the 5,181-sq-m core region, and "strictly controlled" in the 3,700-sq-km belt along the lake. The remaining area will be "intensively explored". The zone will focus on 10 industries, including photo voltaic materials, wind and nuclear power, clean automobile and power cell, and aerospace manufacturing.