Article from Spain’s El Pais on January 27, original title: Xiongan, the new socialist city in the Chinese leader’s blueprint. On the bus, five retired farmers pointed out the window, witnessing that their former homeland was facing a crisis. Historic transformation. In the distance, tractors are transforming ancient villages, and new educational, cultural, and medical facilities are springing up like mushrooms after a rain. Through the government's relocation compensation policy, they received new homes with significantly improved comfort and safety. Mr. Li, who is in his seventies, proudly said that his current life is "happy". Every day he witnesses the rise of Xiongan New Area on the former farmland and becomes a model of modern socialist city.
Xiongan New Area is located about 100 kilometers south of Beijing, sitting on a plain intertwined with rivers and wetlands. This urban plan aims to alleviate Beijing’s traffic congestion, promote the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, and meet the needs of Beijing’s non-capital functions. The high-speed rail brings tourists every week and takes less than an hour to drive. Guan Wei, a 43-year-old chef at a restaurant in a neighboring block, said, "There are many state-owned enterprises in Xiongan." He calls the city "Little Beijing" and is full of confidence in the future of the catering industry here.
The Rongdong area of Xiongan is filled with residential buildings, international hotels, futuristic office buildings and shopping malls. There are also cafeterias, cinemas and luxury shops. This area is located next to a large park and is expected to become the core of residents' life. Currently, residents are mostly relocated neighbors, construction workers and people like Hu Yan, a 36-year-old interior designer who spends his working days in the new building and returns to the capital on weekends to reunite with his family. He believes that Xiongan “will become like Beijing” in the future.
"It will be much better in a few years. There will be schools stationed there." Qiu Ping, 45, is a local primary school teacher. She took her son and mother to visit an exhibition hall in Xiongan. In front of the model of Xiongan New Town, Qiu Ping said: "Three years ago, this was still farmland." They were born here and have rural roots. "Now we are city residents," she stressed, "and good times are coming." In the
exhibition hall, screens and lighting effects display Xiongan's development history and vision. At the end of a corridor, a number shines: 2035. According to Beijing's plan, by then Xiongan will "basically be built into a high-level socialist modern city that is green, low-carbon, information-intelligent, livable and suitable for business, has strong competitiveness and influence, and harmoniously coexists with nature." By 2050, China expects it to become a pearl on the map of world-class urban agglomerations. (Author William April, translated by Liang Ruixuan) ▲
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