New economic engine continues revving

Excitement

Forest ranger Gao, a resident of Gaoxiaowang village in Rongcheng, one of three counties covered by the new area, said, "The blueprint for Xiongan is making us locals so excited, and our home will not be just a common village."

The other counties involved are Anxin and Xiongxian.

Transformed from a simple farmer to a participant in the establishment of the new area, Gao's pride and satisfaction at being a future Xiongan resident are evident.

The forest in which he works is called Qiannianxiulin, or Millennium Forest. The greening project was started in 2017 and so far 14 million trees have been planted across 207 square kilometers.

This year, trees will be planted across a further 67 sq km, with the different sections being clearly separated, China Xiongan, the project's operator, said.

The government guideline said the forest coverage rate in the new area will eventually be raised to 40 percent from 11 percent.

Part of the developer's task is not only to build Xiongan into an economic engine, but also to establish a livable area with a healthy environment.

In addition to the locals, many people from outside the area have arrived to take part in construction and other projects, which they regard as glorious work.

Yao Zhijun, 34, a technician at Rongxi Concrete Mixing Station in Xiongan, took out his smartphone and displayed an app that showed he takes at least 20,000 steps around his workshop every day. The workshop covers 13,198 square meters, about twice the size of a soccer field.