China’s President Xi Jinping launched the project in 2017 – but young professionals seem to find Xiong’an unappealing due to its lack of social life, so the city remains empty
A megacity that was build to tackle China’s overpopulation crisis with an investment of $85billion (£68billion) now remains largely empty as young people consider it unappealing.
President Xi Jinping launched the initiative back in 2017 but eight years after the project began, Xiong’an, which is located in Hebei Province, about 70 miles south of Beijing, lacks they key element it needs to thrive – residents. State-run companies and scientific institutes are set to relocate to the area, but a number of young workers have said they are unlikely to move there.
One of the main reasons is the lack of vibrant social life, which is an important factor for professionals who often work overtime. A woman who was sent to Xiong’an by her employer described her social life as “boring” as she said: “Young people all work overtime, and there aren’t many opportunities for leisure or socialising. As for finding a boyfriend, you’ll just have to make do with hoping your friends provide.”
Zhang Cheng, a small business owner who visited the area while looking for a place to open a new branch, said rent subsidies offered by the government in Xiong’an were tempting – but he also would need to consider whether his employees would be happy to move there. “Will they want to work here?” he told The Times. “Many of them 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.” An estate agent trying to sell the acres of new apartments in the megacity said he had kept his family in Beijing, for the schools, and had commuted home once a fortnight to see them.
“It’s very quiet here, with few people,” he said. “I’ve grown quite accustomed to it. In fact, every time I go back to Beijing, I find it hard to adjust – there’s always a queue for everything.”
The idea of Xiong’an as a “legacy city” the Chinese president’s vision of sustainable development as it was planned with green, smart and innovative infrastructure at its core. The $85billion investment was allocated for various aspects including infrastructure like transportation networks, renewable energy systems, and advanced digital connectivity.
One of the most striking features of Xiong’an is its massive train station completed in 2020, which boasts 13 platforms and 23 tracks, covering an impressive 475,200 square meters, the Express reports. Despite its monumental size, the station feels eerily silent, as the anticipated flow of people and commuters has yet to materialise.
While the city’s infrastructure is futuristic, thanks to its skyscrapers and high-rise residential buildings, streets remain deserted, and some areas are still under construction. The ambitious project is set to be fully completed by 2035, though some wonder if it will ever reach its envisioned potential.
