Party General Secretary and State President To Lam visits the Xiong'an New Area. Photo: VNA   

The Vietnamese leader and his entourage were briefed on the master plan and development model of Xiong’an by Secretary of the Hebei provincial Party Committee Ni Yuefeng, who accompanied the delegation during the trip.

Established in April 2017, the Xiong’an New Area is regarded by China as an important historical strategic choice of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, following the development of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in Guangdong and the Pudong New Area in Shanghai.

Covering 1,770 sq.km in Hebei, about 110 km southwest of Beijing, the area lies at the heart of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei economic triangle and had a population of roughly 1.4 million as of 2025.

The new area is envisioned as a model for innovation-driven, green and smart urban development, serving as a new growth pole for the region while advancing coordinated development and opening-up.

After nine years, Xiong’an has transitioned from "basic construction" to "high-quality construction". More than 400 branches of centrally administered state-owned enterprises have relocated their headquarters here, alongside new campuses of major universities such as Beijing Jiaotong University, China University of Geosciences, Beijing University of Technology, and Beijing Forestry University. Several hospitals are now operational, providing high-quality healthcare services. By late 2025, about 169,000 residents had been relocated to the area.

Xiong’an has now developed a “three-layer” urban structure, integrating ground infrastructure, underground utilities, and cloud-based digital services. More than 200 km of digital roads, enabling commercial testing of autonomous vehicles, with integrated 5G, radar, and smart traffic signal systems.

As of March 2026, the Zhongguancun Science Park in Xiong'an had attracted over 260 hi-tech enterprises, focusing on artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and low-altitude economy./.