A media delegation composed of 50 reporters embarks on a tour to explore the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region on May 26. [Photo/WeChat account: huzhoufabu]

A media delegation composed of 50 reporters embarked on a tour to explore the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region on May 26.

The event comes as a prelude to the upcoming Forum of Major Gov't Leaders of the Yangtze River Delta to be held in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, in early June.

In Huzhou, the first stop of the tour, the delegation visited the Southern Taihu Lake New District, the Mizuda Environment Industrial Research Institute, LandSpace Technology Co Ltd, and Huixin Retreats.

Over the next five days, the reporters will travel to cities such as Jiashan, Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing, Chuzhou, and Hefei to report on the coordinated efforts of the YRD in terms of ecological protection, infrastructure, and industrial cooperation.

Huzhou is located in the center of the YRD, and the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou Railway, which is set to begin construction during the forum, is expected to turn the city into a regional transport hub, as it will be the only city within one hour of Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Hefei by high-speed rail.

The YRD, which encompasses the eastern Chinese provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui, as well as Shanghai Municipality, is one of the country's most dynamic regions in terms of economic development, level of openness, and innovation capabilities.

The YRD is home to 15 percent of China's population and contributes roughly a quarter of its GDP. It also accounted for more than a third of the country's foreign trade and investment last year, with a value of 11.24 trillion yuan ($1.58 trillion).