The Changchun-Jilin-Tumen Pilot Zone approved by the State Council in August will put Jilin province at the forefront of increasing economic links in northeast Asia, said a top provincial official.

With the implementation of the plan, Jilin is expected to become an important bridge between northeast China and the entire northeast Asian region, according to Zhao Zhenqi, the assistant to the governor of Jilin province.

Zhao said that the plan is the biggest opportunity for Jilin since China began its reform and opening-up some 30 years ago and it is also an important sign that the province is entering a new period of development.