The Beijing municipal government approved a total of 4.4 billion US dollars last year in nine key projects dispersing non-capital functions.

Beijing plans to cap its population at 23 million by 2020 to address "big city" problems including traffic congestion and pollution. To meet the target, the local government has taken measures to move non-capital functions away from the city, such as relocating wholesale markets and closing polluting factories. Nearly 60,000 staff and students, and 5,000 hospital beds are expected to be moved out of the city upon completion of the projects. Five colleges and universities will either be relocated or have suburban campuses built.