Peking University to support Xiongan

A top Chinese university has pledged to provide qualified educational resources to the Xiongan New Area and build a first-class medical center there to support the construction of the area.

“Peking University [PKU] will make the best use of the school’s resources to support the Xiongan New Area in many aspects including healthcare and educational training,” said Hao Ping, Party chief of PKU, during a forum on Xiongan’s planning and construction that was attended by Xu Qin, governor of North China’s Hebei Province, on Thursday, The Beijing News reported on Friday.

Hao said PKU’s predominant and leadingedge academic curriculum will cater to Xiongan, and the school will send talents from Beijing to Hebei to offer powerful support to the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

China announced on April 1 the establishment of the Xiongan New Area, which includes the Hebei counties of Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin. The New Area’s most important role is to provide a new base for Beijing’s “noncapital” functions, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

According to the Beijing News, five agreements were reached between PKU and the Hebei government during this forum, including the founding of a first-class medical center with the functions of scientific research, talent training and medical service by PKU.

PKU’s prestigious Guanghua School of Management will build a training center in the Xiongan New Area.

As the Xiongan New Area is located at the triangle of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei’s Baoding, the starting base of educational development is quite low, said Gao Shuguo, director of the strategic office under the Education Development Research Center of the Ministry of Education, The Beijing News reported.

Gao noted that Xiongan lacks educational resources, especially higher education, therefore the area should take advantage of the rich educational resources of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei to better serve the country’s development strategy, The Beijing News said.