Top-level design urged for integrating Beijing with neighbors

BEIJING - The country's top economic planner is studying a high-level cooperation plan for Beijing and its neighbors to promote regional integrated development, according to an official.

Top-level design, which is being jointly considered by local authorities, should combine land use, urban construction and economic and social development plans, said Zhang Zhiqiang, head of the Development and Reform Commission of Tianjin Municipality on Friday.

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Hebei province, which neighbors Beijing and Tianjin, took the lead in unveiling two guidelines last week, which offered a clue to different roles of major cities in Hebei in regional development. Beijing and Tianjin have not yet announced any such plans.

The province will enlarge the size of Baoding to accommodate administrative organs, colleges and universities, research institutions, medical and nursing services, which will be transferred from Beijing, according to the documents.

Langfang, another Hebei city, will boost its service sector to serve as an ecological and recreational zone for the capital, according to the documents.

Hebei's plans came after Chinese President Xi Jinping called for coordinated development of the region around Beijing in late February.

Xi said urban layout and structure needs to be optimized and division of city functions enhanced when building the economic zone surrounding Beijing, adding that optimizing industrial distribution and overall planning for resources should be focused on.

Hebei is the leading choice for some functional and industrial transfers of Beijing and Tianjin and the plans are provincial-level designs, said Zhou Benshun, governor of Hebei.

Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei have a total population of 120 million. Beijing alone has 21 million and faces problems such as air pollution, traffic congestion and overcrowding.