Tongzhou subcenter to be developed in eco-friendly manner

The central government is encouraging the use of world-leading technologies and materials in the construction of Beijing's subcenter in Tongzhou district to make it more eco-friendly.

Beijing's subcenter will be required to meet the standard of a world-class livable city, providing a good environment, cultural elements and convenience to residents, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China announced after a meeting on Friday.

According to the plan, the same principles should also be used in developing regional cooperation between Beijing and Tianjin municipalities, and Hebei province.

During the meeting, the central government recognized the breakthroughs that have been made in the transportation, ecology and industry projects to upgrade Beijing's subcenter and its integrated development with Tianjin and Hebei.

In November, the Beijing municipal government announced that it will build the city's subcenter in Tongzhou district, and will move its departments in charge of political and cultural functions to the district by 2017.

The upcoming administrative subcenter will cover 155 square kilometers, and will support and functionally complement the city center.

Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei are the important engines of economic growth in North China and play a significant role in leading national development.

"To build a trilateral economic sphere and promote the integration of the three areas would help them complement each other, with respective advantages, as well as propelling economic transformation and upgrading the Bohai Bay area," said Wen Kui, a researcher at Beijing's Capital University of Economics and Business.

Compared with the Pearl River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta, he said, Beijing and its two neighboring areas lack industrial cohesiveness. In addition, the speed of economic development and the supporting industry in the three areas are different.

"The construction plan should be made carefully and decisions must be made to consider the three areas as a whole, to bridge the gap among them," Wen said.

According to China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), the construction of city clusters will be accelerated. Beijing and its two neighboring areas, the Yangtze-River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, are listed as the leading projects.

A total of 18 city clusters are listed in the 13th Five-Year Plan, including Chengdu, Kunming, Lanzhou, Xining and Hohhot.