A rendering of the Zero-Magnetism Valley. [Photo/WeChat account: gxbjfb]

Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, recently unveiled a blueprint for its City of Science, a new urban area spanning a planned 37 square kilometers, local media outlets reported.

The core area of the City of Science covers about 5 sq km, with the epicenter of the core area being the approximately-2-sq-km International Zero-Magnetism Valley.

The City of Science aims to become a wellspring of original innovation, a leading area for future industries, a demonstration zone for science-education integration, a mountain-water park city, and a new landmark for a smart city.

Nationally, comprehensive national science centers have already been established in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hefei. For example, Shenzhen's Guangming Science City, a part of the Greater Bay Area initiative, has seen an intense concentration of major scientific facilities, higher education institutions, research organizations, and R&D enterprises.

Currently, Zhejiang hosts two major scientific facilities, with the "Extremely Weak Magnetic Scientific Facility" located within the Zero-Magnetism Valley. The valley serves as the cradle of original innovation and technological research for the City of Science. It also hosts a constellation of high-end research institutions such as the Quantum Experiment Building, Baima Lake Laboratory, and the Smart Sensing Technology Innovation Center.

Additionally, the City of Science has a total of 48 key projects, categorized into four major types, with 26 of them within the Zero-Magnetism Valley, representing a total investment of around 22.6 billion yuan ($3.09 billion).

Hangzhou's journey towards becoming a comprehensive national science center has gained momentum with the emergence of the City of Science, adding a new chapter to the city's scientific and technological advancements.

A rendering of the City of Science in Binjiang district, Hangzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: gxbjfb]