Beijing deliberated an overall urban plan for the municipality from 2016 to 2030 on Wednesday, which an expert said will restructure the capital and move out the non-essential capital functions.
The draft on Beijing Urban Overall Planning from 2016 to 2030, which states that Beijing would be divided into four main areas respectively serving political, cultural, international communication and scientific innovation functions, was discussed during the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee on Wednesday, the Beijing Daily reported.
The plan also includes adjusting urban spatial layout, enhancing urban governance and strengthening conservation of historical and cultural sites, read the report.
"The plan aims to make Beijing a first-rate international metropolis which is harmonious and livable," the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Qu Ren Zeping, chief economist of Founder Securities, was cited by the Beijing Daily as saying that a central political zone is expected to be set up as the central government has announced to establish Xiongan New Area in Hebei Province and has sped up the construction of the subsidiary administrative center in Tongzhou, Beijing.
It is possible that Dongcheng and Xicheng districts would be redesigned as the central political center under the plan, Ren noted, adding that the central government would probably oversee the administration of the center.
Ren said that the designation of the political center would help enhance the protection of Beijing as a historical and cultural city, transfer the non-essential functions of Beijing and facilitate the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region.
China announced in April to establish the Xiongan New Area in Hebei, as part of measures to advance the coordinated development of the BTH region.
China has set goals for the integrated development of the BTH region in an effort to optimize the capital's core functions by 2030, including containing the population within 23 million and solving the problems associated with urban development by 2020.
