Xiongan and Initiative made for each other

The proposed Xiongan New Area in North China's Hebei province is vital for coordinating the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and relieving Beijing of its non-capital functions.

Comprising Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin counties, with their low population density and development level, the new area is like a sheet of white paper on which China can draw a blueprint for a brand new city meeting the highest standards. Many say the new area, when complete, will be comparable with the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in Guangdong province and the Pudong New Area of Shanghai. But for that to happen, the authorities have to plan and develop the new area with an eye to the long-term future.

As the central authorities have said, the new area is in the first place "a demonstration area for coordinated development" and "an area piloting opening-up policies for development". Therefore, the planning for Xiongan must be done with the regional coordinated development in mind, so as to not only attract advanced technology, management and knowledge from around the world, but also help the new area to "go global".