XIONGAN — Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli on Sept 26 stressed high standards and top quality work are required in the building of the Xiongan New Area, a landmark new economic zone near Beijing designed to integrate the capital with its surrounding areas.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli chairs a meeting on the planning and construction of the Xiongan New Area, a landmark new economic zone near Beijing, in North China’s Hebei province, Sept 26, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

City planning for the Xiongan New Area must focus on its key role as the new home for Beijing’s “noncapital” functions to ensure it reaches the standard of a first-class international city with Chinese characteristics and stands the test of time, said Zhang during an inspection trip to Xiongan.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli visits a high-tech company in the Xiongan New Area, a landmark new economic zone near Beijing, in North China’s Hebei province, Sept 26, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

Zhang visited the site of the planned Xiongan station of the Beijing-Xiongan high-speed railway to learn about the New Area’s transport network planning.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli learns about the transport network planning for the Xiongan New Area, a landmark new economic zone near Beijing, in North China’s Hebei province, Sept 26, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

He also inspected the New Area’s plan for building “a city in the forest”, its progress in surveying and protecting of cultural relics, and an innovation center for integrated military and civilian development. He later chaired a meeting on the planning and construction of the New Area.

Zhang said the planning and construction of Xiongan has progressed smoothly so far, citing the establishment of a lean, efficient and unified management body, deepened research on the innovation of land, housing, financing systems and solid work of ecological environment protection.

Work must be accelerated so that the construction of a number of priority projects can be started as soon as possible, Zhang said, citing projects in transport, afforestation, ecological restoration and cultural protection.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli learns about the city planning for the Xiongan New Area, a landmark new economic zone near Beijing, in North China’s Hebei province, Sept 26, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

China announced plans in April to establish Xiongan New Area about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing. It covers Hebei province’s Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin counties.