The huge urban development of Xiong’an has ended up being void of the very purpose it was built for—to house residents.
Xiong’an, an ambitious £68 billion city located about 70 miles south of Beijing, was created to address China’s overpopulation issues.
Despite futuristic planning, including advanced technology infrastructure and green building designs, the city remains largely empty, with few people living or working there.
A small business owner, Zhang Cheng, said to The Times: “Many of them (his employees) enjoy social activities — dating, eating out and so on. Investors and partners also expect to meet over dinner, drinks or karaoke.
“Xiong’an doesn’t offer any of that at the moment. Even with the hiring subsidies, if I asked my staff to relocate here, even at their current salaries, many probably wouldn’t agree.”
Initially launched in 2017 as a legacy project by President Xi Jinping, Xiong’an aims to house up to five million people and be a hub for high-tech industries and government departments.
Xiong’an has a population of 1.2 million, according to the 2020 census, but this number may include residents in the wider county called Xiong’an New Area.
Young professionals are believed to find the city unappealing due to limited social life, and many businesses are hesitant to relocate their employees there.
President Xi Jinping is working to reassure both investors and citizens that the city has a promising future and is far from being a ghost town.
Government-backed initiatives, such as subsidies and infrastructure projects, continue to promote Xiong’an, with hopes that it may become a thriving city in the future.
Authorities have recently introduced tax incentives and fast-track permits for businesses willing to set up in Xiong’an, aiming to spark economic activity and attract long-term residents.
Although the government has poured significant investment into the project, critics have questioned whether it can meet its ambitious goals, especially as China’s population growth slows and urban migration patterns change.