Regional integrated development key to China's path to modernization

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region should make greater efforts to take the region's coordinated development to a new level and make it an example of Chinese modernization, the central authorities said in a recent meeting.

In early 2014, the central authorities issued a 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. Two "new wings", the Tongzhou district of Beijing and Xiongan New Area in Hebei, were built to realize this goal.

Tongzhou and Xiongan should properly handle relations and work together to rid Beijing of its "big city malaise". According to the Hebei provincial government, China's centrally administered State-owned enterprises had set up more than 140 subsidiaries and branches in Xiongan as of January, and more enterprises are expected to be relocated there. The relocation of the second batch of Beijing's administrative institutions and enterprises to Tongzhou will also be speeded up.

To promote its coordinated development, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region should be given full play as one of the three major drivers of China's high-quality development. Being home to a large number of first-class universities and research talents, the region enjoys a solid foundation for innovation. This role will enable the region to set an example for achieving self-reliance and self-improvement in high-level science and technology and promote innovation.

The coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region needs to not only take into consideration regional differences while paying attention to complementary advantages. 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, and the two cities should help Hebei to better accommodate industries transferred from the two cities.

The ultimate purpose of promoting the coordinated development of the region is to improve people's well-being and facilitate common prosperity. While making greater efforts to promote coordinated development, the region should learn more about the needs of the people, accelerate the joint contribution and sharing of public services, and promote the sharing of better education and medical resources, to solve the interests and concerns of the people and improve their sense of gain, happiness, and security.