BEIJING -- The Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council have issued approval for the spatial coordination plan for the modern capital metropolitan area (2023-2035), marking a major new step in deepening the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The capital metropolitan area has been designated as a critical zone for optimizing and safeguarding the capital's core functions, serving as the primary engine for building a world-class city cluster, according to the document made public on Monday.

It also functions as a key area for the inheritance and development of Chinese civilization, a leading zone in regional collaborative governance, and a pilot area in building a Beautiful China.

The approved plan aims to build a world-class metropolitan area centered on Beijing, establish it as a model zone for Chinese modernization, and provide strong support for the development of a world-class city cluster in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area.

Under the plan, Hebei's Xiong'an New Area will be developed to high standards and quality, while Beijing Municipal Administrative Center will emerge as a new growth pole for the capital. Meanwhile, Beijing and Tianjin will jointly advance high-quality development, with Tianjin reinforcing its role as a core area for international maritime shipping in North China.