Easing Beijing's burden a long-term process

Editor's note: Tongzhou, Beijing's new administrative sub-center, will receive its first batch of "newcomers" and officially start functioning on Dec 20. An estimated 400,000 people are expected to shift east of Beijing to Tongzhou. Two experts share their views with China Daily's Zhang Zhouxiang and Liu Jianna on what the administration's shift means for Tongzhou and Beijing. Excerpts follow:

Capital's population should be reduced

The aims of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integrated development is to shift the non-capital functions from and reduce the population density in urban Beijing, realize coordinated development of the region and better protect the environment. To fulfill this goal, Tongzhou, a district in the eastern part of Beijing municipality, was chosen as the new administrative sub-center of the capital.