(17 Boshin the first month), March 4, 1988, the State Council decided to extend the coastal economic open zones.

1988, the State Council work conference held in Beijing in coastal areas opening to the outside world. the
meeting opening up the past nine years, more than one level, focus on opening up new layout (history cn) that the new layout of the Special Economic Zone - Mainland turned to export-oriented coastal areas economy, to participate in the international circle accumulated experience, to create the conditions.
meeting that implement the strategic vision of coastal areas to develop export-oriented economy, it is necessary to further improve the investment environment, especially the "soft environment". Export should be caught up to two out in large quantities to the security into to further keep out, out of the combination. The meeting recommended that the State Council is appropriate to expand the scope of the coastal economic development zone, the range is roughly equivalent to the sum of the open range in the past nine years.
3 May 18, 2007, the State Council issued the "further expand the range of coastal economic development zone", "notice", the State Council decided that the appropriate expansion of the coastal economic development zone. a total of 140 cities and counties included
this new coastal economic development zone, including the three capital cities of Hangzhou, Nanjing and Shenyang. this
National foreign coastal development of special economic zones, coastal open cities and Economic Development Zone frontier significantly expanded to 288 cities, counties, an area of ​​about 320,000 square kilometers, the population increased to 160 million.