The city of Nantong hopes to strike a balance between its urban and rural development over the next five years, according to the mayor.

In agricultural modernization, it already saw considerable growth in the past five years, adding 26,600 hectares of high-yield farmland and 7,533 hectares of aquatic farms, Ding Dawei, the mayor said.

Spending on related projects increased 37 percent in 2010.