Hebei promises dedication in building Xiongan New Area

The leadership of north China's Hebei Province on Thursday vowed to spare no effort in the construction of Xiongan New Area, a new economic zone spanning three counties in Hebei.

At a plenary session of the provincial committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), provincial Party chief Zhao Kezhi proposed a people-centered development mode, saying that policy making should be based on public opinion and problems during the process of residents' and enterprises' relocation should be properly solved.

Public services including employment, education, healthcare and social security will be improved in the area, he said.

Zhao said the real estate sector should be under the most strict control to prevent property speculation. Housing and land prices in Xiongan and surrounding areas should be kept under control.

Population and housing policies will be made in accordance with the new area's function, he said.

City planning for the area will reach the standard of a first-class international city. Planning will embody traditional elements and put the environment as a priority, he said.

Acting provincial governor Xu Qin also stressed control of property development in Xiongan as well as on housing prices, planning and population in surrounding regions.

Xu said the new area will be well-prepared to receive the "non-capital functions" of Beijing, actively bring in high-end industries and promote balanced regional development.

On April 1, China announced plans to create Xiongan New Area.

The new area, some 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing, is expected to help address "urban ills" of traffic congestion and air pollution in Beijing by curbing the capital's population growth and moving non-capital functions out of Beijing. Endi