About 100 kilometers south of Beijing, Xiongan New Area is emerging with new looks day by day. Dubbed a “city of the future,” the area in north China’s Hebei Province has marked its sixth anniversary this year.
During an inspection tour to the area, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the construction of the area as a “miracle.”
Presiding over a meeting on promoting its development, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said the focus has now shifted to high-quality construction of the area to a high standard.
He called for efforts to firm up confidence and maintain resolve while taking solid steps to continuously achieve new progress in developing the Xiongan New Area.
This is the Chinese leader’s third visit to the area. He first visited the region in February 2017, more than one month before the announcement of the official establishment of Xiongan New Area, and then in January 2019.
At the meeting, Xi said Xiongan New Area has seen initial fruits in helping Beijing relieve the functions non-essential to its role as the national capital.
China announced plans to establish Xiongan New Area on April 1, 2017, with the aim to relieving Beijing of non-essential functions and advancing the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
In implementing that plan, China’s centrally-administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have set up more than 140 subsidiaries and branches in the area. Construction of headquarter buildings of big SOEs like Sinochem Holdings, China Satellite Network Group and China Huaneng Group have entered different phases.
Also, to provide quality public services, Beijing-based universities, hospitals, and schools are building or will build branches in Xiongan. They are also establishing partnerships with their counterparts in Xiongan.
Xi called for efforts to fine-tune policies and measures over education, health care, housing and social security, among others, so that the institutions and their personnel can enjoy tangible benefits.
Xi took the high-speed train to Xiongan New Area on Wednesday morning. He first inspected the construction and operation of Xiongan Railway Station, which is the first major infrastructure project in the area and is of symbolic significance.
When visiting the construction sites of Beijing-Xiongan intercity railway, Xi stressed the importance of transportation to a modern city.
With the opening of the intercity railway in 2020, travel time between Beijing West Railway Station to Xiongan has been cut from nearly 1.5 hours to about 50 minutes. A fast train takes only 19 minutes to run from Beijing Daxing International Airport, another key project for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, to Xiongan.
During Wednesday’s visit, Xi also called for efforts to build Xiongan into an intelligent city featuring high-tech and innovation.
Now home to more than 40 companies, the Xiongan business service center, the new area’s first landmark urban complex, has been helping accelerate the development of industrial clusters involving finance, modern services and the digital economy.
Xi also reiterated the importance of promoting green and low-carbon development and urged efforts to build Xiongan into a model of green city. He was briefed on ecological protection of the Baiyangdian Lake, the largest wetland ecosystem in northern China, during a visit to an exhibition center for the planning of Xiongan New Area.
In just six years, the blueprint of the Xiongan New Area has, starting from scratch, been translated into reality, with a high-level, modern city rising from the ground, he said. “It is a miracle.”
‘City of the people’ Xi stressed the importance of promoting a secure tenure and a happy career on building Xiongan New Area when visiting the Nanwenying community, urging to build a “city of the people” in the new era that is suitable for both living and working.
The community has housed more than 5,000 people from Anxin and Rongcheng counties who have been relocated. It provides 45 administrative and convenience services to the public including a community canteen.
Li Jinghe, a relocated resident, told Xi that their family moved into their new home in November 2021, and they felt very comfortable living there as the house is spacious and bright, adding that their life is becoming more and more prosperous.
Noting that the building of Xiongan New Area is a major strategic decision made by the CPC Central Committee, Xi affirmed that the relocated residents have made contribution to the implementation of the national strategy.
While presiding over Wednesday’s meeting, Xi also stressed the need to give the people a more concrete sense of fulfillment and happiness through the development of the area. He called for adherence to the priority of employment, enhancing policies that guide employment and entrepreneurship and strengthening the re-employment training for the labor force in Xiongan New Area.
