Shunyi, Beijing's Western frontier

Shunyi district is a popular location for Western and Chinese families looking to escape the city's bustling pace. Provided to China Daily

With Beijing's newest subway lines stretching to the outer limits of the city, suburbs once out of the way are becoming more connected with the capital's thriving downtown.

Newly connected to the city center with Line 15, Shunyi district is among the capital's most promising up-and-coming neighborhoods. The area acts as an urban frontier for families looking to escape the city life.

Officially made its own district in 1998, Shunyi is one of the city's fastest developing areas, with 1,020 square kilometers of urban sprawl tucked in Beijing's countryside.

For Jim Bryant, owner of Jimbo's Classic Sidecars in Shunyi, it was the draw of peace and quiet that pushed him to become one of the district's first foreign residents when he moved to the area in 1997.

"I grew up in a town with a population of about 200, so I really hated living in the big city," he said.

"I knew I wasn't going to find a small town like that in China but this was the next best thing."

Bryant admits that the peace and quiet came at the cost of a long commute - something the area's residents hope will be eradicated with the opening of Line 15 - part of it was opened on Dec 30.

"The lucky guys are the ones that live here and work here as they don't have to put up with the commute, which can be a real headache," he said.

But it's not just the prospects of a quiet suburban setting that's drawing foreign and Chinese residents to the blossoming district. Families looking to raise their children, free from the confines of the city, are also flocking to Shunyi.

Bryant, who lives in Dragon Villas - the district's first villa built specifically for foreign families in 1994 - said he has watched Shunyi flourish.

"It's the greatest place in Beijing to raise a family. There's probably more foreign families in Shunyi than any other district in China," he said.

With two of Beijing's largest international high schools - Western Academy Beijing and the International School of Beijing - many of the district's residents are families.

"One of the biggest selling points in Shunyi is the access to some of Beijing's best international schools," said Gaspard Marnot-Houdayer, a realtor for Good Views, which rents apartments and villas in the area.

Marnot-Houdayer said he has watched a massive rise in people looking to move into the district since construction of Line 15 began in 2009.

"People generally want a quiet environment with all of the conveniences of a big city," he said, adding that the new line would help Shunyi's residents have both.

The area's close proximity to the airport is an added benefit for those who have to travel often, he said.

China Daily

(China Daily 01/10/2011)