"That's already under way in some municipalities," he said, "but we want to expand.

General plans for land use of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities shall be approved by the State Council.

The moon passes between the sun and the earth during an annular solar eclipse in Chongqing municipality, January 15, 2010.

But Chongqing's leaders, determined to make their vast municipality an oasis of modernity in China's backward west, say that by 2020 the municipality must be 70% "urbanised".

The observatory said the dry weather will continue over the next few days in provinces and municipalities in the area despite some scattered showers.