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China's Ministry of Construction, in cooperation with the southern Guangdong Province, are conducting a study into the effective and harmonious development of cities on the Pearl River Delta.

Wang Guangtao, Minister of Construction, and Huang Huahua, Governor of Guangdong, have been leading the investigation which began on Mar. 28 and will last for six months.

A special advisory group, consisting of Chinese academicians Wu Liangyong and Zhou Ganzhi, and other urban planning and design specialists, has been invited to guide the research in cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Dongguan.

Researchers are expected to produce reports on environments for human settlement, social economies, development of small towns and cities, construction of infrastructure, and management of regional development, as well as advising on the harmonious development of cities and compile a report on town planning on the Pearl River Delta.

Guangdong, which has been assigned the task of piloting China's reform and opening-up drive, has grown into one of the country's economic powerhouses.

Per capita gross domestic product has reached 1,600 US dollars in Guangdong and its level of urbanization is 55.7 percent.

The Pearl River Delta contributes over 80 percent of the province's gross economic volume, with the rate of urbanization here at 72.7 percent, but cities in the delta have struck problems with the regional division of labor, deterioration of the environment and growing numbers of migratory workers.

Completion of the study would further promote urbanization in the area, said a local official.