China approves spatial plan for modern capital metro area

The Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council have issued approval for the spatial coordination plan for the modern capital metropolitan area (2023-2035), marking a major new step in deepening the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The capital metropolitan area has been designated as a critical zone for optimizing and safeguarding the capital's core functions, serving as the primary engine for building a world-class city cluster, according to the document made public on Monday.

It also functions as a key area for the inheritance and development of Chinese civilization, a leading zone in regional collaborative governance, and a pilot area in building a Beautiful China.

The approved plan aims to build a world-class metropolitan area centered on Beijing, establish it as a model zone for Chinese modernization, and provide strong support for the development of a world-class city cluster in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area.

Under the plan, Hebei's Xiong'an New Area will be developed with high standards and quality, while Beijing Municipal Administrative Center will emerge as a new growth pole for the capital. Meanwhile, Beijing and Tianjin will jointly advance high-quality development, with Tianjin reinforcing its role as a core area for international maritime shipping in north China.