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August 31, 2020

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Plan for Beijing city to usher in new era

Source: Xinhua | 00:05 UTC+8 August 31, 2020 | Print Edition

THE Chinese capital Beijing, also an ancient city with thousands of years of history, is entering a new era as a fresh city plan is unveiled.

China has approved a detailed plan for the core area of Beijing for the 2018-35 period, stressing its functions of serving central administrative organs as well as the firm and orderly relief of its non-capital roles.

Based on the plan that was initiated in 2017, the focus of the core area, covering about 92.5 square kilometers, will be on the country’s political center and other functions.

“The core area is where Beijing’s functions as the nation’s political, cultural and international exchange center are mostly located, as well as a key area for the preservation of historical sites,” the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council said in a statement that was made public on Thursday.

The control of population and industries in the core area is in line with the trend of the world through the central government’s major adjustment measures to relieve non-capital roles, said Li Xiaojiang of the expert advisory committee on the coordinated development of Beijing and Tianjin cities and Hebei Province.

Steps in easing non-capital functions include gradually relocating some administrative agencies, along with education, research and medical services, while reducing the area’s density of population, buildings, as well as business and tourism activities.

The planning department has conducted in-depth analysis and research on about 2 million permanent residents, 36,000 plots of land with various ownership rights and even more than 10,000 ancient trees in the core area, aiming to optimize the capital’s functions, said Shi Xiaodong, president of Beijing Institute of City Planning & Design, which has participated in the whole process of making the plan.

In the Xicheng District, the former residence of Shen Jiaben, a leading Chinese judicial reformer in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), received 120,000 visitors after renovation. However, few visitors would imagine that it was just a dilapidated quadrangle of courtyard dwellings four years ago.

The central authorities demanded strengthening the protection of the city’s cultural and historical heritage in the statement. The plan has identified 11 categories under protection, and the historic and cultural blocks will increase to 26 percent of the core area’s total from 22 percent, Shi said, adding lists of historic buildings will be published in the future.

“The plan emphasizes overall protection and provides accurate and clear judgment value, which is an important breakthrough,” said Shan Jixiang, president of China cultural relics association.

The authorities also emphasized improving people’s livelihoods, enhancing the public health system and maintaining security in the core area.

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