'Jing-Jin-Ji' Aims for Deeper Integration on Its 11th Anniversary
Wednesday marks the 11th anniversary of the initiative aimed at coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) region.
TroibNews 
Wednesday marks the 11th anniversary of the coordinated development initiative in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Since its establishment as a national strategy in 2014, the region has reached notable achievements, with its cumulative economic output surpassing milestones of 6 trillion yuan and expected to reach 11.5 trillion yuan in 2024, as reported during a press conference by the joint working office on February 20.
Launched to tackle issues such as traffic congestion, pollution, and uneven development, the initiative aims to create a more balanced economic structure and enhance public services by relocating non-capital functions from Beijing.
**Enhanced Public Services**
In the past year, there has been substantial improvement in infrastructure and public services. A prime example is the completion and simultaneous opening of the Beijing and Hebei sections of Changtong Road, connecting Tongzhou District in Beijing to Dachang Hui Autonomous County in Langfang City, Hebei Province.
This development has cut travel time between Dachang County and Tongzhou by approximately 30 minutes and now accommodates an average daily traffic volume exceeding 11,000 vehicles, according to Zhao Tongan, an official from the Hebei Provincial Transportation Department.
Additionally, the customized express bus service for commuters in the Beijing area has expanded, introducing new routes to Xiong'an New Area and Wuqing, resulting in a network of 11 main lines and 39 branch lines.
Specifically, the customized express bus network connecting Beijing and Hebei, which consists of 34 round-trip routes, facilitated 71,000 trips in 2024, leading to more than 1.61 million passenger trips, states Zhao.
Significant strides in enhancing healthcare access have also been made. In the past 11 years, 115 regional medical consortia have been formed across the three regions, covering 11 cities and Xiong'an New Area.
An example of this collaboration includes Beijing Children's Hospital, which has sent over 420 experts to Baoding Children's Hospital to assist in treating complex conditions such as pediatric cancer and stem cell transplantation, noted Wang Jianhui, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission.
**Strengthened Economic Structure**
Economic collaboration among the three regions has experienced remarkable growth. The volume of technical contracts from Beijing to Tianjin and Hebei soared from 7 billion yuan in 2013 to over 84 billion yuan in 2024, marking an average annual growth rate of 25 percent.
The region has become a center for innovation and advanced manufacturing, with the research and development teams for Zhuque 1, Zhuque 2, and the forthcoming Zhuque 3 rockets primarily based in the Jing-Jin-Ji area.
Moreover, the number of branches established by Zhongguancun-based enterprises in Tianjin and Hebei increased from 3,500 in 2013 to over 10,000 in 2024.
Now, the region hosts seven state-level advanced manufacturing clusters, five of which are developed collaboratively by the three areas. In 2024, the intelligently connected new energy vehicle cluster emerged as a significant growth driver, with NEV production in the area rising 1.7 times year-on-year, and its output value surpassing 840 billion yuan, establishing it as the leading industry in the region's manufacturing sector.
The trade landscape has also seen robust growth. Beijing Customs reported that the Jing-Jin-Ji region's import and export value reached a record high of 5.03 trillion yuan in 2024, representing a 0.1 percent year-on-year increase and maintaining growth for four consecutive years. Compared to 2014, the foreign trade value increased by 1.29 trillion yuan, a 34.5 percent rise, with an average annual growth rate of 3 percent.
**Looking Ahead: Further Integration**
As the Jing-Jin-Ji region approaches a new phase of comprehensive and high-quality development, the focus is on deepening integration.
The three regions aim to enhance cooperation in establishing a "commuter circle" and an "industrial collaboration circle," with several key transportation projects expected to achieve significant milestones by 2025.
For instance, the Beijing tunnel section of the Beijing-Tangshan Intercity Railway is anticipated to be completed in 2025, alongside the opening of the Chengde-Pinggu Expressway, according to Zhou Hao, an official at the joint working office.
As the Jing-Jin-Ji region stands at this new starting point, it is well-positioned to advance its journey toward greater integration, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
Since its establishment as a national strategy in 2014, the region has reached notable achievements, with its cumulative economic output surpassing milestones of 6 trillion yuan and expected to reach 11.5 trillion yuan in 2024, as reported during a press conference by the joint working office on February 20.
Launched to tackle issues such as traffic congestion, pollution, and uneven development, the initiative aims to create a more balanced economic structure and enhance public services by relocating non-capital functions from Beijing.
**Enhanced Public Services**
In the past year, there has been substantial improvement in infrastructure and public services. A prime example is the completion and simultaneous opening of the Beijing and Hebei sections of Changtong Road, connecting Tongzhou District in Beijing to Dachang Hui Autonomous County in Langfang City, Hebei Province.
This development has cut travel time between Dachang County and Tongzhou by approximately 30 minutes and now accommodates an average daily traffic volume exceeding 11,000 vehicles, according to Zhao Tongan, an official from the Hebei Provincial Transportation Department.
Additionally, the customized express bus service for commuters in the Beijing area has expanded, introducing new routes to Xiong'an New Area and Wuqing, resulting in a network of 11 main lines and 39 branch lines.
Specifically, the customized express bus network connecting Beijing and Hebei, which consists of 34 round-trip routes, facilitated 71,000 trips in 2024, leading to more than 1.61 million passenger trips, states Zhao.
Significant strides in enhancing healthcare access have also been made. In the past 11 years, 115 regional medical consortia have been formed across the three regions, covering 11 cities and Xiong'an New Area.
An example of this collaboration includes Beijing Children's Hospital, which has sent over 420 experts to Baoding Children's Hospital to assist in treating complex conditions such as pediatric cancer and stem cell transplantation, noted Wang Jianhui, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission.
**Strengthened Economic Structure**
Economic collaboration among the three regions has experienced remarkable growth. The volume of technical contracts from Beijing to Tianjin and Hebei soared from 7 billion yuan in 2013 to over 84 billion yuan in 2024, marking an average annual growth rate of 25 percent.
The region has become a center for innovation and advanced manufacturing, with the research and development teams for Zhuque 1, Zhuque 2, and the forthcoming Zhuque 3 rockets primarily based in the Jing-Jin-Ji area.
Moreover, the number of branches established by Zhongguancun-based enterprises in Tianjin and Hebei increased from 3,500 in 2013 to over 10,000 in 2024.
Now, the region hosts seven state-level advanced manufacturing clusters, five of which are developed collaboratively by the three areas. In 2024, the intelligently connected new energy vehicle cluster emerged as a significant growth driver, with NEV production in the area rising 1.7 times year-on-year, and its output value surpassing 840 billion yuan, establishing it as the leading industry in the region's manufacturing sector.
The trade landscape has also seen robust growth. Beijing Customs reported that the Jing-Jin-Ji region's import and export value reached a record high of 5.03 trillion yuan in 2024, representing a 0.1 percent year-on-year increase and maintaining growth for four consecutive years. Compared to 2014, the foreign trade value increased by 1.29 trillion yuan, a 34.5 percent rise, with an average annual growth rate of 3 percent.
**Looking Ahead: Further Integration**
As the Jing-Jin-Ji region approaches a new phase of comprehensive and high-quality development, the focus is on deepening integration.
The three regions aim to enhance cooperation in establishing a "commuter circle" and an "industrial collaboration circle," with several key transportation projects expected to achieve significant milestones by 2025.
For instance, the Beijing tunnel section of the Beijing-Tangshan Intercity Railway is anticipated to be completed in 2025, alongside the opening of the Chengde-Pinggu Expressway, according to Zhou Hao, an official at the joint working office.
As the Jing-Jin-Ji region stands at this new starting point, it is well-positioned to advance its journey toward greater integration, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
