Increasingly integrated development of three-pillar region underway

After three years of efforts, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province have made a number of achievements in advancing their integrated development, especially regarding transport links, social insurance and medical treatment.

The central government proposed the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integration plan in 2014, with the aim of promoting interconnectivity, coordinating industrial development and sharing resources.

As part of these efforts, an integrated public transportation network has been formed consisting of expressways, railways and urban transit systems.

The region's transport links are now being reviewed and some "corresponding adjustments" are being made, said Lyu Huizhe, an official at the Hebei provincial government's transportation department.

In November, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei signed agreements on constructing the connections for six highways and adding new expressways to increase connectivity.

Currently an expressway linking Tianjin and Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province, is under construction, and another line connecting Yanqing with Chongli is scheduled to be put into operation in 2019.

Over the past three years, Hebei has worked to make its dead-end highways, totaling more than 1,400 kilometers, connect with the transport networks of Beijing and Tianjin.

The plan is for a "one-hour commuting circle" to be established in the core areas of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region by 2020.

A new road - a section of the Beijing-Qinhuangdao Expressway at the junction of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei - will come into operation at the end of this year.

Residents in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei will be able to travel throughout the region using a single card for the integrated public transport system.

To date, the two metropolises and Hebei have developed an advanced transportation system that includes railways, aviation routes and ports, as well as roads.

Qi Yang, general manager of Hantangziyuan, a high-tech company that moved to the Tianjin (Binhai) Zhongguancun Science Park in November, said that the company was looking to leverage the location's proximity to both cities.

In 2016, Beijing and Tianjin signed an agreement to set up the science park to utilize the innovation strength of Zhongguancun, a high-tech hub in Beijing, and Binhai New Area in Tianjin in a bid to promote the relocation of high-tech enterprises and the industrialization of technological achievements.

"Binhai New Area's rich resources in education and technology, as well as favorable policies designed to attract professionals and experts, help offer a stable supply of qualified employees for companies," Qi said.

Employees who meet the requirements of Tianjin will enjoy priority in application for a permanent residential permit in Tianjin, said Zheng Yi, general manager of the operation service company of the science park.

"The science park has attracted attention from leading projects and companies. Its popularity is closely related to its development environment," said Xu Guang, deputy director of the administrative committee of the science park.

According to Xu, the science park plans to incorporate Beijing's social security system into that of Binhai.

Medical services are another highlight of the region's integration.

An increasing number of doctors have moved from Beijing to Hebei, offering their expertise to local residents, said Zhang Shaolian, director of the Health and Family Planning Commission of Hebei.

To date, more than 300 secondary medical institutions in Hebei have established various cooperative relations with Beijing and Tianjin hospitals.

Beijing has sent over 1,000 doctors to Hebei and has received about 70,000 clinical visits. Hebei has set up platforms to attract more Beijing medical teams and professionals, said Zhang.

"Our goal is to build Hebei into a pilot area for the transfer of Beijing's medical skills and technology to enhance the development of healthcare and medical services in the region," he said.