City of the future

The development of Xiong'an New Area has shifted from the initial planning and construction stage to focus on high-quality construction, high-level management and the high-quality transfer of the noncapital city functions from Beijing.

"In just six years, the Xiong'an New Area has transitioned from mere concept to palpable reality," President Xi Jinping said during an inspection tour in May 2023. "A highly modernized city rising from the ground is nothing short of miraculous."

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, also underlined the importance of promoting high-quality development and building the area into a "city of the future", a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, and a model of green development.

Centrally administered State-owned enterprises have so far set up more than 200 subsidiaries and branches in Xiong'an, which have demonstrated the area's viability and stimulated agglomeration, said Xiong'an's Reform and Development Bureau.

Zhongshi Boxing Technology, where Li Nan works as head of marketing, has focused on implementing AI digital human scenes, which can be applied in livestreaming sales, hospitals, and schools to provide basic information.

"We are optimistic about the innovative entrepreneurial atmosphere and promising market here, therefore, we partially relocated a team from Beijing to Zhongguancun Science Park in Xiong'an in January," he said, adding his wife and daughter had also moved to the area.

Xiong'an is also attracting business people and innovation companies from around the world.

"I see a lot of prospects and opportunities in this city," said Godsword George Chinemerem from Nigeria who has set up a logistics company in Xiong'an. He plans to ship goods from Xiong'an to African markets via Tianjin Port.

Omane Vincent Kwakye from Ghana also sees his future in Xiong'an where the cost of living and doing business is more friendly for startups. He plans to bring technological advances to African countries. "Besides, Xiong'an is focusing on sustainable energy and it will need certain natural resources from Africa. I plan to bring materials like cobalt and lithium into China," he said.

With an increasing number of startups, Xiong'an has welcomed the arrival of new talent and has rolled out comprehensive measures to ensure its development.

So far, 16 policy measures have been announced to attract global talent, including top scientists, high-level research teams and new university graduates. Eligible leading scientists can receive research funding of up to 50 million yuan ($6.9 million).

"The talent pool and structure are crucial for the future development of Xiong'an New Area, and our comprehensive measures to attract talent have worked," said You Zhijun, director of the Party-mass Work Department of the Administrative Committee of Xiong'an New Area, who is in charge of talent issues.

You said they have had a strong response to the talent drive, with a significant increase in the number of people who have arrived in Xiong'an or inquired about moving there.

Since April 2017, over 10,000 Xiong'an talent cards have been issued. The card is an official document granted to talented people, and since 2023 Xiong'an has witnessed the arrival of 30,000 startups and entrepreneurs, according to the department.

Fu Chaoyang, who has a talent card, said his telecommunications and 5G technology business has thrived in the innovation-driven city. "It has gathered more talented people with preferential policies and efficient support measures, which allow more startups to find the people they need quickly and explore cooperation opportunities," he said.