By the middle of the century, the area is designed to become a significant part of the world-class Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei city cluster China has published the master plan for Xiongan New Area, the creation of which is “a strategic decision with profound historic significance made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core”.

 

The 10-chapter document, which is the fundamental guideline on the planning and development of Xiongan New Area, lists overall development goals for the new area.

 

By 2035, Xiongan will develop into a modern city that is green, intelligent and liveable, with an emphasis on strong competitiveness and harmonious human-environment interaction.

 

By the middle of the century, it will become a significant part of the world-class Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei city cluster, effectively performing Beijing’s non-capital functions and providing the Chinese solution to “big city malaise”.

 

Here are the nine highlights of the newly released document.

 

1. Developing a scientific and rational layout

The document says that priority shall go to ecological protection with the new area pursuing green development. With the total area of construction land set at about 530sq km (almost 205sq miles), Xiongan will strictly control land use and cap its land development intensity at 30 per cent.

About 10 per cent of the new area’s land will be put under permanent protection as basic farmland, while the population density will be no more than 10,000 people per square kilometre .

 

2. Shaping the city landscape for a new era

Xiongan’s architecture and layout will combine both traditional cultural elements and the best global design philosophies. Cultural heritage will be well preserved and properly utilised.

Archaeological parks, museums of ancient ruins and exhibition halls will be erected, and the protection of historic cities and villages will be integrated into city construction.

 

3.Building a beautiful natural ecology and environment 

Ecological restoration work will be started in Baiyangdian Lake,including restoring the area of what is northern China’s largest freshwater body to 360sq km. Water pollution will be tackled and the forest coverage rate will rise from 11 per cent to 40 per cent.

Moreover, high-pollution and energy-intensive production will be ended. In the long term, Baiyangdian National Park will be established.

 

4. Developing high-end and hi-tech industries

The new area will be at the forefront of promoting cutting-edge technology industries, with co-ordinated development of the real economy, technological innovation, finance and human resources.

Major industries to thrive in the area will include information, biotechnology, new materials, modern services and green agriculture.

Xiongan will strive to build global first-class technology and innovation platforms, with the best research universities to foster talent and innovative policies, and mechanisms to serve growth tech firms.

 

5. Providing quality shared public services

The new area will provide quality public facilities and services to its dwellers and form a diversified housing system. As a liveable and business-friendly city, it will put property development under strict control and establish a long-term mechanism to prevent speculation in real estate.

 

6. Construction of fast and highly efficient transport network

Xiongan plans to build a fast and highly efficient transport network. It will take only 20 minutes to travel by high-speed rail from Xiongan to Beijing’s planned new airport in Daxing district, 30 minutes to Beijing and Tianjin, and an hour to Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province.

 

7. Building a green and smart new city

In Xiongan, a green and low-carbon way of production, living, building and administration will be promoted. For instance, advanced environment-friendly and energy-saving materials and techniques will be widely used in construction.

 

The plan also stresses building Xiongan into a digital city. The new area will step up the construction of intelligent infrastructure, and set up a smart mode of city administration and a management system for data assets.

 

8. Fostering a modernised city security system

A modernised city security system will be established with complete high-standard disaster prevention and disaster alleviation facilities, so that the new area can quickly respond to disasters and emergencies and develop safely and effectively.

 

9. Ensuring orderly and effective implementation of the plan

Xiongan New Area will offer historical heritage for future generations. The country should be patient, and stick to the plan, taking a long view of history. The planning system should be improved, as well as related policy regulations and technical rules.