Region seen as model for growth

Economically dynamic Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei cluster can lead China's modernization efforts

As China advances its path to modernization, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, one of the country's most economically dynamic areas with a high degree of openness and innovation, is expected to make further progress and become an example of Chinese modernization.

Speaking at a symposium in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, on Friday, President Xi Jinping said it has been proved that the central Party leadership's major strategy for the region's development is suited to the needs of China's high-quality development in the new era.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for efforts to reach new heights in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and he urged Hebei to fully take on its responsibilities during this process.

In early 2014, China initiated a key strategy to coordinate the development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei to create a model with a better economic structure, cleaner environment and improved public services.

The region in northern China covers a total area of about 218,000 square kilometers.

Last year, the total regional GDP of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei surpassed 10 trillion yuan ($1.44 trillion), according to the Beijing Bureau of Statistics.

Since the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, the region has witnessed remarkable progress in its coordinated development, Xi said. He called for further progress in developing the two new "wings" — the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center in Tongzhou district and Xiong'an New Area in Hebei — to effectively rid Beijing of "big city malaise".

According to the Hebei government, China's centrally administered State-owned enterprises had set up more than 140 subsidiaries and branches in Xiong'an as of January.

This year, the new area plans to speed up the construction of the headquarters of four centrally administered State-owned enterprises, four universities and two hospitals.

During his visit on Friday, Xi called for further planning to relocate more centrally administered State-owned enterprises based in Beijing, including their headquarters, subsidiary companies and innovation units, to Xiong'an.

Xi noted that Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei are among the major driving forces of the country's high-quality growth and are home to numerous first-class universities and talent for high-end research.

It is necessary to strengthen innovation and industrial coordination in the region in order to set an example for realizing great self-reliance and strength in science and technology, he said.

Xi said the ultimate purpose of promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is to improve people's well-being and facilitate common prosperity.

Beijing's edge in sci-tech innovation should be combined with Tianjin's strength in advanced manufacturing research and development to make breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, he said, adding that the two cities should help Hebei to better accommodate industries transferred from the two cities.

The symposium was held after Xi went to Cangzhou and Shijiazhuang in Hebei from Thursday to Friday, where he visited the countryside and other areas including a port and a research institute.

Xi made an inspection tour to Xiong'an New Area on Wednesday and called for efforts to firm up confidence and maintain resolve while taking solid steps to continuously achieve new progress in developing the "city of the future".

On April 1, 2017, China announced the plan to set up Xiong'an New Area, which is situated approximately 100 km southwest of Beijing. The goal, according to authorities, is to develop the area to a level comparable to that of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Shanghai Pudong New Area.

Xi has been personally involved in making decisions and plans to develop Xiong'an. In the past six years, he visited the area two other times in 2017 and 2019.

Wu Yiqing, vice-president of Hebei University of Economics and Business, suggested that the region should focus on digitalization, automobiles and materials, in building world-class industrial chains. The region should strive to become an advanced manufacturing cluster with international competitiveness, Wu said.

Zhang Gui, secretary general of Nankai University's Institute for Coordinated Development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, told People's Daily that efforts should be made to explore the establishment of a cross-region system for quality public services by promoting the extension of such resources to Hebei from Beijing and Tianjin.

To achieve this, policies and measures related to healthcare services, housing and employment should be refined, Zhang said.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn