Rampant development addressed as capital strains under population
Plans for Beijing to share megacity burdens by transferring administrative, business functions to Tianjin, Hebei province
Beijing will focus on its functions as a national center for politics, culture, international exchange and technological innovation.” Cai Qi,mayor of Beijing
The integrated development of Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin and the renewed urban planning for Beijing will be crucial for the national capital to host the upcoming Belt and Road Forum and improve its development in a healthier way, a senior official of the municipality has said.
The capital city of China was officially home to 21.73 million permanent residents at the end of last year, pushing the population almost to the city’s capacity. Beijing’s population, resources and environment were facing great pressure.
“Population density is extremely high in the core areas of the city, with a ratio of more than 23,000 people per square kilometer,” said Cai Qi, mayor of Beijing.
He added that the over-crowded city is now facing insufficient resources, a worsening environment and heavy traffic congestion.
The city’s per-capita water resource volume was 161 cubic meters last year, about one-tenth of the national average, he said.
“It even lags far behind the internationally recognized scarcity line of 500 cubic meters a year,” said Cai.
To solve these problems, Cai said Beijing should transfer part of its administrative and business functions to outside the city’s center and its non-capital functions to neighboring Hebei and Tianjin.
Drawing up a new, comprehensive urban development plan for Beijing is imperative, he said.
“We have invited a number of domestically and internationally renowned experts to conduct research for the plan. Advice from all walks of life will be used for improving the existing plans.”
Integrating the development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, developing a subcenter in Tongzhou district, rescheduling the layout of various industries, increasing areas with ecological functions and achieving more balanced development between the urban and rural areas are all important parts of the plan, Cai said.
“After transferring its noncapital functions to neighboring regions, Beijing will focus on its functions as a national center for politics, culture, international exchange and technological innovation.”
Construction of the capital city’s subcenter in Tongzhou, an important part of Beijing’s new urban development plan, is moving along quickly. The city’s governmental, legislative and legal organizations will begin to move to the subcenter at the end of this year, Cai said.
Construction of highways, railways and subways to connect the subcenter and other parts of Beijing has been proceeding smoothly, he said.
In addition, advanced educational and medical resources in Beijing’s downtown areas will also move to the subcenter, including the campuses of a number of universities, primary and middle schools and hospitals, he said.
“The subcenter in Tongzhou should be a place free from the usual big-city problems. It will serve as an ideal place to live in and a role model for new urban development.”
The integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei has also been fruitful.
As Beijing has moved some functions to nearby Tianjin and Hebei province, it has brought industrial growth and business opportunities to those areas, said Wang Haichen, a senior official at the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform.
Beijing’s companies invested 164.2 billion yuan ($23.86 billion) in Tianjin and Hebei in 2015, two and a half times more than the previous year, Wang said.
“The investment in nearby areas will boost local economic development and increase jobs, while ensuring Beijing will have more room for high-end manufacturing and scientific research.”
In Yizhuang district, Beijing’s manufacturing base, industries for fifth-genration, robots, unmanned vehicles and biological medicine are developing now that regular manufacturing companies have moved out.
Beijing’s Zhongguancun area, along with Huairou and Changping districts, will become major centers for science and technology research and development to drive innovation.
“Beijing will give up the ‘big and everything’ development method. Instead, the city will focus on high-end and highquality development with an improved environment and resources. In this way, it can be a better capital for our country,” Wang said.
The integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei is a national program with strong support from the central authority.
In February 2014 President Xi Jinping told a meeting of representatives of the three regions that the integrated regional development program is an important national strategy.
He urged local officials to bear in mind coordination and integration when building the economic zone surrounding Beijing, and note the need for balanced development, environmental protection and concern for the area’s population and resources.
President Xi is also concerned with Beijing’s new urban development plan.
During a tour of Beijing’s major infrastructure projects last month, Xi told Beijing’s officials that giving up part of its non-capital functions is crucial for Beijing’s urban development plan, and that the city should make full use of its advantages in technology and talented people to foster new areas of growth.
He also suggested the plan pay more attention to such issues as population, environment and resources.
Xi said the protection of Beijing’s historical heritage as an ancient city should be emphasized to make it a capital city with both ancient and modern charm.