Shanxi province has released the "15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for the Development of Central Shanxi Urban Cluster", aiming to establish a modern urban cluster by 2030. The cluster will feature a rational spatial layout, interconnected infrastructure, coordinated industrial landscape, balanced public services, and a beautiful, livable environment.

The plan prioritizes the development of the Taiyuan Metropolitan Area to optimize the cluster's spatial integration. It aims to establish Taiyuan as a key hub in Central China, a city nationally recognized for its history and culture, a vital national transportation center, and a prominent manufacturing hub in North China.

The plan emphasizes the importance of the Shanxi Transformation and Comprehensive Reform Demonstration Zone. It plans to employ the universities and research platforms in southern Taiyuan to expand key industrial chains, including photovoltaics, new materials, semiconductors, modern medicine, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence.

Rail network development is also a key focus. The plan seeks to enhance the east-west high-speed rail network of the Shanxi central urban cluster and increase the passenger transport capacity of the Taiyuan railway hub, forming a one-hour intercity travel circle centered on Taiyuan.

The plan also envisions creating a Taiyuan-Jinzhong consumption corridor. This includes upgrading traditional commercial districts and developing rural leisure tourism projects to form a consumption belt around the Taiyuan Metropolitan Area, thereby enhancing consumption capacity collaboratively.