Xiongan New Area is another new development strategy of national significance after the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and Shanghai Pudong New Area. Its planning and development not only present unprecedented opportunities for Hebei province, they will also have a profound influence on the economic development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region and the whole country.

Xiongan will fundamentally shift the extensive and high resource-consuming economic growth pattern to an intensive one driven by technology and innovation. It will focus on the quality rather than pace of economic growth.

To build Xiongan into a better and more livable city, transport planning and the design of public spaces should be green and sustainable.

First, transport links are the arteries of a city. Proper transport development and planning are essential for urban development. Xiongan needs to adjust its travel structure to ensure it realizes a people-oriented transport design. Future urban mobility will feature multiple travel modes consisting of bicycles, public transit systems and walking. While increasing transport flow, Xiongan needs to change the travel mode of residents to alternatives other than cars.

In the past ten years or so, the construction speed and scale of China's subway system has never been seen before. That said, we must also pay attention to the construction and operational quality of the subway stations, including such indicators as the accessibility of stations, station dynamism and overall passenger transport intensity. Domestic subway systems still lag far behind foreign ones in terms of these indicators.

The ground transit system also needs to play a greater role. Last year, most provincial capitals in China witnessed a 15 percent to 20 percent decline in the number of people using ground transit systems, which reveals how challenging it is to improve service quality and the benefits for passengers. To do so, we need to address the three acute problems faced by passengers: accessibility, waiting time and punctuality rate.

Designed for better living

Going forward, Xiongan needs to focus on efficient public transit infrastructure. For example, by combining intelligent driving and shared mobility, it can reduce the use of private cars and make public transport more comfortable and convenient. Bus rapid transit systems can help Xiongan mitigate transport pressure and offer passengers greater convenience. The development of green and people-oriented public transit, which can generate greater economic benefits, requires the joint efforts of all parties. A comprehensive urban redevelopment solution oriented toward sustainable transport is the only way to build Xiongan into a beautiful and innovative city.

Some international best practices could be a good reference for Xiongan. Curitiba of Brazil is a transit-oriented city and many car owners have shifted to buses which are safe, fast and cheap because of its effective bus rapid transit system. Copenhagen, the new "City of Bicycles" where bicycles outnumber cars, has well-designed public spaces with footbridges, underpasses and other multidimensional facilities to enhance the convenience and appeal of cycling and encourage people to choose this nonmotorized mode of transport for commuting.

Well-designed public spaces reflect the spirit and culture of a city. They are also conducive to enhancing the quality of life of residents and promoting urban prosperity and development. Urban expansion has led to a large occupation of land by road infrastructure. We need to consider urban development benefits and land planning with the practical approach of reducing space used by cars and increasing the space available to residents. This would not only mitigate urban congestion but also energize street businesses and enhance the happiness of local residents.

Only by improving the quality of public spaces, can we increase the appeal of a city.

Thanks to high-level government guidance and attention, and the coordination mechanism and efficient government system in place, the development of Xiongan is making steady but rapid progress. Xiongan is unusually significant because it can be a model for urban development in China and help small and medium sized cities leverage the advantage of being late movers.

Xiongan is committed to building itself into an attractive and livable city with a beautiful environment, convenient transport and advanced facilities. Although Xiongan bench marks itself against Shenzhen and Pudong, it will never become a duplicate of those. It will tell a story of a new city of the future. Xiongan's mission is to explore a new development pattern and apply cutting-edge ideas and engineering technologies to build an ideal city that can represent the future of Chinese cities.

The author is China director of the Ross Center for Sustainable Cities at the World Resources Institute.

The author contributed this article to China Watch exclusively. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of China Watch.

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