China has issued a spatial coordination plan for the modern capital metropolitan area (2023-35), marking a significant step in advancing the coordinated development strategy for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The plan, approved by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, China's Cabinet, designates the capital metropolitan area as a cross-administrative region spanning 42,000 square kilometers.

It prioritizes quality over quantity and calls for deeper integration of technological innovation and industrial development to create a new regional growth pole.

"The plan, centered on the development of metropolitan areas, implements the functional roles of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. It leverages their respective comparative advantages to accelerate the formation of a pattern characterized by mutually reinforcing strengths and coordinated development," Wang Changlin, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, told a news conference in Beijing on Thursday.

Wang said the plan aims to better align innovation and industry by integrating innovation and industrial chains, foster new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions and establish an advanced manufacturing cluster in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Xia Linmao, vice-mayor of Beijing, said the capital's metropolitan area has been positioned as a strategic zone for optimizing and safeguarding its core functions and as the primary engine for building a world-class city cluster.

"Focusing on promoting high-quality development, the plan proposes to strengthen scientific and technological innovation cooperation in the core areas of the capital metropolitan area, develop new quality productive forces by leveraging the Beijing-Tianjin and Beijing-Xiong'an corridors, and foster an innovation triangle in the Beijing-Tianjin-Xiong'an region," Xia said.

The plan sets phased objectives for Hebei's Xiong'an New Area. By 2035, it is to become a high-level socialist modern city, and by 2050, it is to develop into a socialist modern city of high quality and standards, according to Jin Hui, provincial vice-governor.

Jin said Xiong'an will continue to advance industrial and innovation collaboration with Beijing and Tianjin and position itself as a hub for emerging industries and a pioneering zone for future industries.

"We will actively implement cutting-edge policies and forward-looking innovation pilot projects from the frontiers of China's reform and opening-up efforts in Xiong'an. We aim to attract international organizations in science and technology innovation to establish themselves there, transforming Xiong'an into a vital center for independent and original innovation," she said.

Xie Yuan, vice-mayor of Tianjin, said synergy in scientific and technological innovation and integration of industrial systems between Beijing and Tianjin have begun to yield results, including the joint establishment of nine national key laboratories and five national-level advanced manufacturing clusters.

Tianjin plans to capitalize on Beijing's strengths in scientific and technological innovation and its own advantages in advanced manufacturing research and development, Xie said.

Vice-Minister of Natural Resources Zhuang Shaoqin said coordinated development of the three regions requires synchronized spatial planning, which is critical to implementing the plan.

Adhering to baseline control requirements for urban, agricultural and ecological spaces, the ministry will address mismatches in spatial allocation in some areas, such as irrational industrial park layouts, disjointed integration of industry and urban functions and inadequate regional spatial coordination, said Zhuang.