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Phoebe Zhang

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for developing the Xiongan New Area into an innovation hub to drive high-quality growth.
Xi made the call on Monday during his first inspection tour of the “city of the future” following the “two sessions” annual parliamentary meetings and the launch of China’s 15th five-year plan.
The state-level megacity in Hebei province, about 100km (62 miles) southwest of Beijing, is Xi’s signature project aimed at taking the urban pressure off the capital.
Xi visited state-owned power company China Huaneng and a local school in Xiongan, Xinhua state news agency reported.


Chairing a forum later in the day, Xi said Xiongan should be “driven by reform and innovation”, must push for the construction of a technology park and apply more science and technology to its development.
He also called for increased efforts to promote emerging and future industries, emphasising the need for the local government to “boldly explore and pilot trial programmes” so that innovative policies in areas such as technology and finance are implemented first.
Xi praised the overall project and said construction in the area was on track. This proved that the central leadership’s “decision to establish the Xiongan New Area is entirely correct”, he said.
He also pointed out that the function of the area was to help decentralise the capital and absorb projects non-essential to Beijing, including some state-owned companies, universities, hospitals, and financial and research institutes.
The Xinhua report included a few details from Xi’s trip showing how personnel were being moved from Beijing to Xiongan.

Xi visited the Beijing No 4 High School’s Xiongan division, which already has more than 380 students, in a clear signal that the city was ready to provide high-quality education for the families of relocated workers.
Huaneng had relocated more than 1,000 employees to Xiongan, the report said.
Premier Li Qiang, who accompanied Xi on the inspection visit, once again stressed that Xiongan was “a national project of millennial significance”, repeating a slogan Xi has used on such trips.
A Xinhua commentary released shortly after the tour noted that Xi’s presence reaffirmed Beijing’s policy consistency, while calling on local officials to take decisive action and fulfil their mandates.”
Premier medical institutions have opened branches in the area, most notably the Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, a national leader in neurological research and treatment.
In its commentary, Xinhua said Xi’s emphasis on reform and innovation had “pointed the way for high-quality development across the country”.
Xi has personally pushed for the development of the Xiongan New Area since the project was launched in April 2017.
Monday’s visit was Xi’s fourth inspection of the area in nine years. During his second visit in 2019, he had shown impatience at the lack of progress and encouraged state-owned and private companies to help the project succeed.


According to a master plan reprinted in a government document, Xiongan, which comprises three rural counties, will eventually become a modern, low-carbon, innovation-driven smart city with a population of more than 5 million. The plan aims to ease overcrowding in the capital and disparities in regional development.
During his last visit in May 2023, Xi praised the construction of high-speed rail, community centres and homes.
“In just six years, the Xiongan New Area has grown from nothing, from blueprint to reality, and a modern city of high standards is taking shape. This is nothing short of a miracle,” he said at the time.


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President Xi Jinping visits China Huaneng Group in the Xiongan New Area on Monday. Xi also chaired a symposium on further advancing construction and development of the area. Photo: Xinhua

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Chinese leader visits school and power company on fourth inspection tour of Xiongan New Area since project’s launch in 2017


Chinese leader visits school and power company on fourth inspection tour of Xiongan New Area since project’s launch in 2017.


Xi calls for bold innovation drive to build Xiongan, China’s ‘city of the future’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chinese leader visits school and power company on fourth inspection tour of Xiongan New Area since project’s launch in 2017

Chinese leader visits school and power company on fourth inspection tour of Xiongan New Area since project’s launch in 2017