Core Insights - The formation of a "1-hour high-speed rail circle" among Wuhan, Xiangyang, and Yichang is expected to enhance the integrated benefits of the Han-Xiang-Yi "Golden Triangle" as the Han-Yi and Xiang-Jing high-speed rail lines are set to be completed by the end of this year [1] - Hubei has achieved its economic growth target for the 14th Five-Year Plan a year ahead of schedule, with a total economic output surpassing 6 trillion yuan, increasing its share of the central region's economy from 19.5% at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan to an expected 20.9% by 2024 [1] Economic Development - The Wuhan metropolitan area has successfully addressed 32 bottleneck roads, establishing a dual hub for air passenger and cargo transport between Ezhou Huahu Airport and Wuhan Tianhe Airport, and is advancing the Optoelectronic Information Industry to a trillion-yuan scale [2] - By 2024, the economic output of the Wuhan metropolitan area is projected to reach 3.6 trillion yuan, increasing its share of the Yangtze River middle reaches urban agglomeration to 29% [2] Regional Collaboration - Wuhan is enhancing cooperation with other central provincial capitals such as Changsha, Hefei, and Nanchang in transportation, technology, industry, and public services [2] - The Xiangyang metropolitan area has seen its economic output jump from 500 billion yuan in 2021 to 600 billion yuan in 2024, ranking among the top non-provincial cities in Central China [3] Industrial Growth - Xiangyang is developing a collaborative automotive industry cluster with Wuhan, Shiyan, and Suizhou, while also establishing a national-level phosphate chemical circular industry cluster with Yichang, Jingmen, and Jingzhou [4] - Yichang is focusing on ecological and green development, with its GDP reaching 619.1 billion yuan, making it the top non-provincial city in Central China [4] County-Level Economic Development - Hubei has increased its number of top 100 counties to 8, ranking 4th nationally, with a breakthrough in the number of counties achieving a GDP of over 100 billion yuan [5] - The urbanization rate of the county's permanent population has reached 56.7%, an increase of 3.44 percentage points from the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan [5]