Guangdong unveiled a detailed plan yesterday to achieve becoming a pilot province in China's drive to build itself into a leading power in the world in terms of transportation.

As per the plan released by the provincial transportation department and greenlighted by the Ministry of Transport, Guangdong will prioritize high-quality development of transportation infrastructure, integration of transportation and tourism industries, smart transportation construction, transportation hub service improvement, and transportation management system reform in the years to come.

Emphasis will be put on R&D and application of key technologies in construction and renovation of expressways and cross-sea bridges.

By the end of 2019, the total mileage of operational expressways across the nine cities in Guangdong that are included in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area had reached 4,500 kilometers. In core cities, there are 8.2 kilometers of in-service expressways per 100 square kilometers, surpassing that of New York and Tokyo megalopolises, according to the plan.

By the end of 2020, the expressway mileage in Guangdong is estimated to exceed 10,000 kilometers, retaining the top spot in the country.

Within two years, Guangdong will make solid progress and technological breakthroughs in renovation of Shenshan West Expressway, a 146-kilometer expressway that links Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone and Longgang District in Shenzhen, and Kaiping-Yang-jiang Expressway.

Guangdong also plans to build sightseeing roads along the coast and in northern Guangdong cities like Meizhou, Yunfu and Heyuan.

Drones will be deployed to patrol expressways across the province in less than two years and basic transportation infrastructure will undergo digitalized upgrades in the Greater Bay Area and Guangzhou Nansha Development Area.

China aims to build a comprehensive modern transportation system by 2035 that is safe, convenient, efficient, green and economical, according to a document released in September last year. The government will improve transportation infrastructure and the innovation of new and specially designed transportation equipment will be encouraged to foster technical upgrades in the industry.

Transportation services will be upgraded to make traveling faster and more convenient, and logistics greener and more efficient. Efforts will also be made to develop cutting-edge technology that can inspire smart transportation.