China accelerates planning of Xiongan New Area

Photo taken on April 24, 2017 shows the scenery of the county seat of Rongcheng, north China's Hebei Province. China announced the plan for Xiongan New Area, an economic zone about 100 kilometers south of Beijing, on April 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao)

China has stepped up the design and planning of Xiongan New Area to facilitate the coordinated development of Beijing and surrounding regions, the top economic planner said.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said Friday that the planning will focus on transferring Beijing's "non-capital" functions to the area to drive the growth of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. "More efforts will be made to ensure breakthroughs in transportation, ecological development and industries."

Xiongan's development will feature innovation, reforms and pilots, the NDRC said.

China announced plans in April to establish the new economic zone about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing. It covers Hebei's Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin counties.

Following the success of the country's two economic zones in the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta regions, Xiongan is expected to promote the formation of a world-class city cluster.