Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area becomes a driving force for high-quality national development

This year marks the 11th anniversary of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development, a strategy that has reshaped the area.

The strategy focuses on 'one core and two wings'. One core refers to Beijing's leading role in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Primary tasks include relieving Beijing of functions nonessential for the capital, optimizing its capital functions and addressing the 'big city' problems. While advancing the relocation of functions nonessential for the capital, efforts are being made to promote reorganization, driving the wider development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Over the past decade, the three places have not only pursued the relief of functions nonessential for the capital but advanced the harmonized growth of the 'two wings to the capital city': Beijing Municipal Administrative Center in Tongzhou district and the Xiong'an New Area in Hebei province. This has led to increased integration across key sectors, propelling the region toward a new era of collaborative progress.

By mutually reinforcing each other's strengths, they have fostered a new atmosphere of coordinated development. In 2024, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei achieved impressive GDP growth rates of 5.2 percent, 5.1 percent, and 5.4 percent, respectively, all surpassing the national average.

The combined regional economic output soared to 11.5 trillion yuan ($1.58 trillion), underscoring the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region's pivotal role as a driving force for high-quality national development.

This year, Beijing is poised to achieve breakthroughs in the implementation of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei development strategy, with a focus on accelerating the establishment of a modern capital metropolitan area, local officials said.

Key initiatives include the steadfast relief of functions nonessential for the capital, the orderly relocation of landmark projects from State-owned enterprises and government departments, and the enhancement of public services through the use of reclaimed spaces.

Furthermore, emphasis will be placed on upholding high standards and quality in the development of the Xiong'an New Area, particularly in critical areas such as basic education, healthcare, and vocational training innovation. Support will be extended to the advancement of the Zhongguancun Science Park in Xiong'an.

Beijing is set to expedite the high-quality development of its administrative center, advancing projects like a comprehensive transport hub, a national green development demonstration zone, and fostering innovative industrial growth in the Tongzhou-Wuqing-Langfang area.

Prioritizing coordinated innovation and industrial collaboration, efforts will be directed toward leveraging the Jingjinji National Center for Technology Innovation, which promotes the incubation and transformation of technological achievements across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Moreover, measures will be taken to enhance the quality and efficiency of advanced manufacturing clusters; establish the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei intelligent connected new energy vehicle sci-tech eco-park; and boost the development of commercial aerospace, low-altitude industries, and synthetic biology, collaboratively nurturing new quality productive forces in the region.

To accelerate the construction of a modern capital metropolitan area, Beijing will enhance transport infrastructure by completing the tunnel section of the Beijing-Tangshan Intercity Railway and initiating a high-speed road linking Chengde city in Hebei with Pinggu district in Beijing. Moreover, the coverage of customized shuttle bus services for commuting in Beijing will be expanded.

Greater action will be taken to address air pollution during autumn and winter, and enhance joint management of cross-border rivers like the Chaobai and Yongding.

A view of the Grand Canal CBD in the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center. 

Riding the wave of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development drive, Xiong'an New Area in Hebei province and the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center in Tongzhou district are gaining momentum as the 'two wings to the capital city'.

These two areas play a pivotal role in the region's coordinated development by hosting operations that do not align with the capital's core functions.

Xiong'an New Area, often referred to as the city of the future, has made substantial strides in its comprehensive development.

As of now, total investments have reached 835.4 billion yuan ($115.45 billion), and an area of 202 square kilometers has been developed, with 50.14 million square meters of floor space built, government data show.

Fixed asset investment is projected to grow by 13 percent in 2024 compared to 2023. A total of 4,792 buildings have been constructed, with new roads totaling 804 km, underground utility tunnels reaching 160 km, and hydraulic dams extending 328 km.

Xiong'an is nurturing industry chains in sectors such as aerospace information and artificial intelligence. Initiatives include the establishment of the China Aerospace Information and Satellite Network Innovation Alliance; the inauguration of the Xiong'an center of the Jingjinji National Center of Technology Innovation; and the unveiling of the Xiong'an High-Tech Industrial Development Zone and Xiong'an New Area Zhongguancun Science Park. The Xiong'an New Area Zhongguancun Science Park has attracted more than 130 businesses to date, according to the park's latest statistics. These efforts aim to attract high-quality resources to Xiong'an, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in a friendly environment, local officials said.

Additionally, prime medical and educational resources have been relocated from Beijing to Xiong'an. Beijing has helped the construction of a kindergarten, elementary school, secondary school, and general hospital in Xiong'an New Area through a 'turnkey' approach.

These completed facilities are being managed by prestigious institutions from Beijing: Beihai Kindergarten, Shijia Hutong Primary School, Beijing No 4 High School, and Xuanwu Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University.

In the more than a year since these projects began operation, they have become exemplary models. For instance, Xuanwu Hospital in Xiong'an has received around 200,000 outpatient visits since its opening, enhancing medical services in the new area.

The Beijing Municipal Administrative Center is also bustling with activity. It achieved an annual fixed-asset investment of 100.08 billion yuan in 2024, bringing the cumulative total since 2019 to more than 597.7 billion yuan. It has also met the annual investment target of 100 billion yuan for five consecutive years.

The second group of municipal government departments has relocated to the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center.

A defining feature of the administrative center is its national green development demonstration zone implementation plan, which was approved by the State Council in February 2024.

Construction of the demonstration zone began that year, with 2.30 million sq m of prefabricated buildings initiated, and 202,000 sq m of ultra-low energy consumption buildings added.

Beijing Universal Resort became the world's first ultralarge theme park to operate exclusively on green electricity. The green power supply and carbon management project of the city's 'green heart' forest park was selected as one of the first typical cases of the national energy green and low-carbon transformation.

The administrative center boasts a thriving cultural tourism industry. In 2024, Beijing Universal Resort received more than 10 million visits, which was listed as a national nighttime cultural and tourism consumption cluster area in 2022.

The landmark cultural facilities at the city's 'green heart' park — the Beijing Performing Arts Center, Beijing Library, and Grand Canal Museum of Beijing — attracted more than 7 million visits. Together with other cultural events, these attractions drew more than 24 million tourist visits to the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center.

Builders work at the construction site of China Mineral Resources Group's Xiong'an headquarters project.

According to official data, the total mileage of high-speed rail in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province reached 2,669 kilometers in 2024, compared to 1,284 km in 2013.

The high-speed railways have extended to all prefecture-level cities across the region and a 'one-hour transport circle' is taking shape.

Additionally, the region's expressways increased from 7,983 km to 11,000 km between 2014 and 2024.

These changes have enhanced connectivity in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, turning its blueprint for transport integration into a reality and making long-distance commuting possible, local officials said.

Since July 2022, Beijing has been operating customized buses between its central business district and Sanhe city, Xianghe county and Dachang Hui autonomous county in Hebei province.

The bus service requires reservations in advance and adjusts stops according to passengers' needs, offering efficient services to cross-provincial commuters. So far, more than 23,000 bus trips have been made on the three routes, with an average daily passenger volume of 5,100.

The Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway is another example of the region's transport integration.

Since its opening in 2008, the 166-km railway has realized bus-mode operations, handling 70,000-80,000 passenger trips every day. The shortest interval between trains is just three minutes.

Beijing South Railway Station expanded the entrance hall for the intercity railway by 260 square meters in 2024. Yizhuang Railway Station, one of the seven stations on the route, was put into operation in October.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region will continue to carry out transport infrastructure projects this year to advance its coordinated development, said officials from the transport sector.

The construction of Beijing Subway Line 22, the first interprovincial subway line in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, is in full swing. Stretching about 81.2 km, the line will have 22 stations and connect three Beijing districts — Chaoyang, Tongzhou and Pinggu — as well as Sanhe, Hebei province. So far, the line's Hebei section has finished half of the civil works.

The capital is also building the Beijing Sub-Center Station in Tongzhou district. Upon completion, it will become a key transport hub of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. It is to enable transfers among 'seven lines' consisting of three railways, three subway lines, and the subcenter line of the Beijing Suburban Railway, local officials said.

With a population of more than 100 million and an economic aggregate exceeding 10 trillion yuan ($1.38 trillion), the region boasts the highest concentration of innovative resources and clear advantages in the development of the digital economy in China. The three areas have jointly implemented an array of framework agreements on environmental protection and established more than 10 collaborative mechanisms for green action, covering joint prevention and control of air pollution; water environment management; low-carbon growth; as well as coordinated enforcement and emergency response.

In 2024, the annual average concentration of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region decreased by more than 60 percent compared to 2013, dropping to 30.5, 38.1, and 37.7 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively. The number of good air quality days substantially increased.

Liu Xianshu, deputy director of the Beijing Ecology and Environment Bureau, stated the water environment across the three regions has eliminated sections rated below Class V. The proportion of national surface water assessment sections with excellent water quality has met the targets set by the national 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).

Eleven bodies of water — including Beijing's Miyun Reservoir, Tianjin's Zhouhe River in Jizhou district, and the Beidaihe section of Qinhuangdao Bay in Hebei province — have been recognized as outstanding examples of China's beautiful rivers, lakes or bays.

Looking ahead, the region will continue to promote a low-carbon development path focused on reducing carbon emissions, curbing pollution, expanding green spaces, and driving sustainable growth. This year, the three areas will prioritize key sectors such as air pollution control, and forest and grassland protection, setting a benchmark for green development nationwide.

The three areas are also optimizing resources and sharing basic education resources. Initiatives include supporting the development of kindergartens and primary schools, inviting industry leaders as guest lecturers for ideological courses in universities, and integrating industries with education.

In healthcare, the coordinated development of the region has also made marked progress. For instance, the Xiong'an branch of Peking University People's Hospital is under construction, which will offer high-quality medical services to the Xiong'an New Area in Hebei province and its surrounding regions. Additionally, the Langfang branch of the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, has opened, enhancing oncology treatment in the region.

Under the framework agreement on collaborative development of healthcare, the three areas have jointly established 115 medical consortia, enabling optimal allocation and sharing of medical resources. To date, 914 medical institutions have implemented mutual recognition of clinical test results, providing patients with more convenient and efficient medical services.

On the education front, a Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei vocational education reform demonstration park has been inaugurated, with more than 1,000 first-year students from four municipal universities, including Beijing Information Science and Technology University, moving in.

This colossal machine, the largest metal 3D printing device in China, is designed for producing cost-effective, high-performance marine equipment. It's one of the many outcomes of collaborative innovation among Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province, the latter two being coastal regions bordering the national capital.

Professor Liu Changmeng of the Beijing Institute of Technology, who led the team behind the invention, highlighted the strengths each region brings. 'Tianjin excels in marine equipment manufacturing and location; Beijing boasts rich resources in research, design and intelligent technologies; while Hebei contributes its robust steel and concrete production capabilities,' Liu said.

Since China initiated the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei in February 2014, much progress has been made in fostering collaborative innovation and industrial development among the three regions.

Beijing's efforts to become an international center for scientific and technological innovation, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei collaborative innovation community have enhanced the quality and efficient development of the Jingjinji (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) National Center of Technology Innovation. This has created a mechanism where Beijing builds capabilities while the wider Jingjinji area fosters ecosystems.

The contractual value of technologies transferred from Beijing to Tianjin and Hebei exceeded 84 billion yuan ($11.6 billion) in 2024, up 12.7 percent year-on-year, according to a news conference on Thursday. The cumulative figure since 2014 has surpassed 370 billion yuan.

The three regions have jointly funded 227 basic research projects. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei National High-Tech Zone Alliance, established in November 2023, has implemented 34 major projects and more than 120 cooperative initiatives.

'Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei collaborative innovation has entered a phase of rapid growth,' said Zhu Jianhong, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission.

Measures will be introduced to enhance collaboration in basic research and expedite the translation of scientific and technological achievements into practical applications, Zhu added.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei collaborative innovation index, released annually by the Beijing Development Institute of Peking University, surged from 100 in 2013 to 298.2 in 2023. Beijing's index, in particular, grew from 661.7 to 1,025.5, marking the fastest growth among the three regions.

Over the past 11 years, collaborative efforts to strengthen key industry chains in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei have resulted in the signing of more than 140 projects, with a total investment of around 73 billion yuan.

Seven industry clusters across the three regions, spanning sectors such as health, information technology, integrated circuits, artificial intelligence and intelligent connected new energy vehicles, have attained national-level status.

In 2025, the regions aim to formulate a three-year action plan to upgrade advanced manufacturing industry clusters. They are to collaborate by hosting investment promotion campaigns, constructing dedicated zones for the development of intelligent connected new energy vehicles, and mapping out growth paths for fields like biomanufacturing and the commercial space industry.