The Hangzhou-Huangshan high-speed railway. [Photo/VCG]

In addition to the metropolitan city circle, Hangzhou has also played a positive role in boosting culture and tourism in the broader YRD region, facilitated by the time-honored Grand Canal that flows through 15 cities in the region.

With the common goal of preserving Grand Canal culture, Hangzhou has been deepening cooperation with cities along it. It has not only taken part in various Grand Canal-themed exhibitions, but also established the first cooperation alliance at the district and county levels.

Hangzhou has also launched a series of preferential policies to attract tourists from neighboring cities. For example, park cards of Hangzhou and Ningbo are now mutually recognized, annual tourism passes issued by Hangzhou, Shanghai and Nanjing can be used in cities like Yancheng, Suqian, Taizhou, and Chizhou, and the red tourism city pass issued by 10 cities, including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Yangzhou, Taizhou, Nantong, and Changzhou, can be used for bus and metro rides in more than 300 domestic cities.