Beijing plans to invest CNY590 billion between this year and 2025 to develop its southern districts, which have already undergone massive changes in the last 10 years. The plan includes 260 major projects covering the education, healthcare, business and public welfare sectors, said Li Sufang, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission. The rapid development of southern Beijing began in 2010 when the first round of the ongoing action plan was launched. For example, in Beijing’s Daxing district, shopping malls, convenience stores and public parks have been multiplying. During the fourth round of the action plan for southern Beijing, one focus will be high-quality development around Daxing International Airport, aimed at promoting the area as a new driver of economic growth in the capital. In Daxing district’s Lixian township, the Beijing Free Trade Zone’s innovation service center is helping dozens of companies to moved in. The companies work mainly in biological medicine and finance, attracted by the center’s policies that support international talent and offer convenient market supervision.
In addition to Daxing, Beijing’s southern region includes three other districts: Fengtai, Fangshan and the Beijing Economic & Technological Development Area. Liu Li, Deputy Director of the development area, said it will strengthen cooperation with southern Beijing’s other districts in industries like smart manufacturing, intelligent new energy vehicles (NEVs) and logistics. Zhou Xinchun, Deputy Director of Fengtai, said the district’s Lize area, which is focused on the financial industry, will develop quickly in the next five years. Lyu Chenfei, Deputy Director of Fangshan, said the district will focus on culture and tourism over the next five years through a number of key projects, including a national panda breeding center, a wine country and a Lego theme park. GDP in the capital’s southern region has grown from CNY229.6 billion to CNY559.2 billion over the last 10 years. The district aims to build four more CNY100 billion industrial clusters, covering the sectors of biotechnology and health, the new generation and innovative use of information technology, robotics and high-end equipment. Major new cultural facilities will also be built, including clusters of museums and an art center for the National Ballet of China, and new schools and hospitals will be added.
In addition, Beijing will also support the southern districts in creating more than 10,000 hectares of green space in the next five years through the renovation and construction of major wetlands and forest parks as part of its effort to become a national forest city, the China Daily reports.
