Chinese vice premier calls for high-quality development of Beijing's sub-center

Xinhua

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng has called for the high-quality development of the subsidiary administrative center of Beijing in suburban Tongzhou District.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Tongzhou on Monday.

"Development of the center is a major strategic move to phase out non-capital functions from Beijing and promote the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," Han said. "It is of national significance and lasting importance for the millenium to come."

"The subsidiary administrative center should be developed with high standards into an example of a world-class residential area, a showcase of China's new urbanization and a model of the integrated development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region."

Han also called for better planning of the sub-center with people-oriented city design.

"The relocation of the Beijing municipal government agencies and public institutions to the sub-center must be done in an orderly and smooth way," Han said."Policies and measures should be prepared to attract young people to work and start businesses in Tongzhou to make the sub-center thrive with dynamism."

Development of the sub-center in Tongzhou, about a 40 minute drive from the center of the Chinese capital, is one of several moves taken to cure "urban ills," including overpopulation, traffic congestion and smog.

The area is expected to receive 400,000 residents from the city center.