Aerial photo taken on April 1, 2017 shows farmland in Rongcheng County, north China's Hebei Province. China announced Saturday it would establish the Xiongan New Area in Hebei Province, as part of measures to advance the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao)
Meanwhile, the circular cautioned that local authorities should avoid excessive urban expansion in the development of Xiongan, calling for a reasonable development pace with patience and respect for the laws of city construction.
Saturday's announcement was the latest step in China's efforts to cure severe "urban ills," such as traffic congestion and air pollution, in Beijing by curbing the capital's population growth and moving certain non-essential facilities, including manufacturing and logistics, to nearby regions.
A number of wholesale markets in the city's central areas have been shut down or relocated, and some of Beijing's city administration will be moved out of the city center to the eastern suburbs in Tongzhou.
The removal of non-capital functions from Beijing is part of a greater strategy to integrate the development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei for a better economic structure, cleaner environment and improved public services.
With that strategy, authorities intend to transform the region into a new growth pole as China's economy slows.
The decision to set up Xiongan New Area is a key stroke in solving urban woes and creating new growth, said a commentary carried by the website of the People's Daily, flagship newspaper of the CPC.
