Photo shows the launching ceremony of the demonstration area in the Yangtze River Delta. (VCG)

A demonstration area in the Yangtze River Delta on ecologically friendly development was launched on Friday and entered into the construction phase.

The area, which spans Shanghai Municipality and east China's Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, covers 2,300 square km and has a sound ecological foundation, with water and green coverage accounting for 69 percent of the total area.

A 660-square-km pilot zone has been set up in five towns in the area.

The demonstration area council, with local government departments and well-known entrepreneurs and representatives from think tanks on board, held its first meeting on the same day.

A new "joint river chief" system was launched Wednesday to better protect the aquatic environment in the Yangtze River Delta, promote cross-administrative cooperation and form an integrated pattern on water control.

China has made the regional integration of the Yangtze River Delta a national strategy. The State Council approved a plan for building the demonstration area earlier this week.