'High-quality' ethos

He also stressed the need to maintain historical patience and strategic resolve, and to advance its planning and construction with high quality and high standards.

Liu Zhenming, deputy director of the Xiong'an natural resources and planning bureau, said that "Xiong'an quality" is implemented throughout the process of spatial planning, resource utilization and ecological conservation.

"Our efforts are aimed at maximizing the value of every inch of land through scientific planning and strict management. This will ensure that urban development withstands the test of history and time, allowing the public to share in the benefits of planning and development," he said.

The quality-oriented, sustainable development pursued by Xiong'an focuses not on the speed or scale of urban construction, but on how a city can enhance quality of life, achieve green and low-carbon industrialization, and enable smart and efficient urban operations, Liu explained.

Guided by these principles, substantial and rapid progress has followed. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), three centrally administered State-owned enterprises — China Satellite Network Group, China Huaneng Group and Sinochem Group — relocated their headquarters to Xiong'an and commenced full operations. In addition, four Beijing universities have broken ground on their Xiong'an campuses and two hospitals are building new branches there.

To date, more than 400 branches of central SOEs and over 4,000 Beijing-based enterprises have established a presence in the new area. The second group of projects relocating from the capital has also commenced in an orderly manner.