Leaders are planning a strategy to boost the northeast's stagnant economy
Reviving the fortunes of the nation's industrial rust belt in the northeast is set to dominate a meeting of Communist Party leaders later this month.
The three northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning used to be the mainland's most important industrial heartland under the planned economy.
But they have struggled to compete with coastal regions as the country transforms itself into a market economy.
Many businesses that were losing money have been closed down and millions of workers have been sacked or told to go home with minimum pay.
But party leaders are planning to formulate a strategy to jump-start the region's stagnant economy at the third plenary session from October 11 to 14 following the 16th Communist Party Congress last November.
At a politburo meeting chaired by President Hu Jintao on Monday, party leaders set rejuvenating northeastern provinces as 'a national development strategy', a report by Xinhua said. Mr Hu is also the general secretary of the Communist Party.