Xiongan New Area in Hebei province, which will soon start construction, is calling for worldwide competitive bids for the planning and design of the area's first phase, a local government official said on Wednesday.

The zone designated for the first phase will have a footprint of 30 square kilometers, Niu Jingfeng, deputy head of the area's preparatory committee, said at a news conference.

The work of land requisition is about to begin. That will be followed by residential demolition and the resettlement of villagers, and then by infrastructure and ecological projects, he said.