SCIO briefing on Hebei province's development
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E-mail China.org.cn, May 29, 2019
CCTV:
Over the past five years, Hebei has done a lot to promote the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, especially in striving for breakthroughs in the three key areas of transportation, environmental protection, and industry. What will Hebei focus on in advancing in the future?
Wang Dongfeng:
Thank you for your question. We all know that the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region is a significant national strategy that is designed and promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping and he has paid great attention and much effort to it. I have mentioned the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei cooperative efforts on making breakthroughs in promoting traffic integration, joint prevention, control and management of pollution and industrial collaboration in my report. I won't repeat it. Though, we have some measures in the next phase which are as follows:
First, we will focus on relieving Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as capital and work to build the Xiongan New Area, a centralized platform accommodating relocated functions and other platforms in cities and counties in Hebei. General Secretary Xi stressed in the report to the 19th CPC National Congress that relieving Beijing of functions which are non-essential to its role as capital is key to the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region. In the planning outlines and general plans approved by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, it is clearly stated that the Xiongan New Area is the centralized platform accommodating non-capital functions of Beijing. It is the primary principle guiding its development. There are some other cities and counties in Hebei accommodating relocated functions of Beijing. For example, the three counties in Lanfang city, which are located between Beijing and Tianjin and have a larger area than Beijing sub-administrative center, have been approved to use the same standard as the Tongzhou District in making plans, standards and policies, and management, according to a general plan made by the CPC Central Committee. The development plan has been submitted to the Leading Group of the Coordinated Development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region and will be carried forward after approval. This will be a new cooperative platform. The Beijing Daxing International Airport will be put into use in September. Occupying areas in both Beijing and Hebei, the airport is a hub in Beijing and northern China. So it is Hebei's political duty to guarantee a stable overall situation and offer good services in the airport. In the vicinity of the airport, a 150-square-kilometer airport economic zone is to be established, with 50 square kilometers in Beijing and the other 100 square kilometers in Hebei. It will also use the Tongzhou standard in making plans, standards and policies, and management. A new coordination and cooperation mechanism will be set up and the plan is also under examination. Additionally, Langfang, Wuqing and Tongzhou are also pilot zones of the coordinated development mechanism of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region that apply unified standards and stick to integrated development. Three ports in Hebei, namely, Qinghuangdao, Tangshan and Huanghua ports, form part of the Bohai-Sea Port Cluster together with Tianjin Port. Hebei introduced 2,516 projects from Beijing and Tianjin last year with a capital inflow of 430.8 billion yuan. More than 1,400 high-tech enterprises have moved from Beijing and Tianjin to Hebei so far.
Second, Hebei will make comprehensive efforts to fulfill the designated functions and accelerate its development while serving and aligning itself with Beijing and Tianjin. Hebei was designated as an important national base for modern trade and logistics, a pilot zone for industrial transformation and upgrading, a demonstration area for modern urbanization and coordinated development of urban and rural areas, and an ecological buffer zone. In accordance with the positioning, the cities and counties in Hebei province are working to promote high-quality development by making differentiated but coordinated progress. Dahongmen Clothing Wholesale Market, Xinfadi Agricultural Products Wholesale Market, and Beijing Zoo Clothing Wholesale Market have been relocated from Beijing to Baoding and Cangzhou. We are promoting the development of cities of different sizes in different regions to foster new development platforms and advance the establishment of a world-class city cluster with Beijing at the core. We have taken a series of measures to ensure ecological security of the capital and to prevent and control air and water pollution. Notable progress has been made after several years of efforts to improve river basins upstream and downstream and curb over-exploitation of groundwater in the North China Plain. Recent media reports said water came to the surface of lakes and rivers from under the ground in Xingtai, suggesting a rise in the water table. We are now implementing restrictions on the use of groundwater and are making good use of the water diverted from the South-to-North Water Diversion Project and the Yellow River Water Diversion Project. We require self-provided wells to be closed in places where water can be diverted from the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, and we charge fees for using groundwater. In addition, Hebei Provincial People's Congress has also introduced relevant laws to combat this problem. In short, we have been making efforts on the legal, economic, administrative, and other fronts to improve Hebei's ecological environment.
Third, we will unswervingly advance the construction of "two new driving forces" and "two zones" so as to drive the green development in Hebei province. This is another major initiative proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping. The development of both Xiongan New Area and Beijing's subsidiary administrative center will become two new driving forces for Beijing's development. And the development of both Xiongan New Area and Zhangbei county in Zhangjiakou city - a co-host with Beijing to the 2022 Winter Olympics - will become two new driving forces for Hebei's development. The "two zones" that have been proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping in Zhangjiakou refer to the capital's water source conservation zone and the ecological buffer zone. Their construction is not only Hebei's ecological task but an important political responsibility. Zhangjiakou city, Hebei province, provides water for ecological development and people's daily life in both Beijing and Tianjin. Miyun Reservoir (in Beijing's Miyun district) serves as Bejing's water source; Guanting Reservoir, which is located in Zhangjiakou city, used to be Beijing's water source earlier. Moreover, Yuqiao Reservoir, as part of the Water Diversion Project from Luanhe River to Tianjin Municipality, serves as Tianjin's water source. Hebei is located in the upstream area of all these reservoirs, so we have the responsibility to ensure the water quality for Beijing and Tianjin. This is Hebei's role as a water protector. It is a major strategy. Hebei province, together with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), has submitted working plans to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. A lot of work is underway, and some initial outcomes have been achieved, all of which need the concern, support, and assistance of the media outlets.
Generally, we will, following a series of measures, strive for new progress in promoting innovative, green, and high-quality development in Hebei province. Thank you.
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