Key insights

• 🏗️ 🏗️ Xiongan is a massive megaproject tailor-made to reduce traffic congestion in Beijing, backed by a staggering $93 billion investment to showcase China's urban planning skills.
• 🏙️ 🏙️ The Xiongan train station, one of the largest in China, has the capability to serve over 100,000 passengers per day yet remains eerily quiet as construction progresses.
• 🌊 🌊 President Xi Jinping advocates for socialism with Chinese characteristics, but public backlash arises over the controversial protective measures taken against floodwaters in Xiongan.
• 🏙️ 🏙️ Unlike the rapidly expanding city of Shenzhen, Xiongan is a planned city with strict regulations on housing and corporate presence, but it remains largely uninhabited.
• 🌳 🌳 Xiongan features low-density buildings amidst a green landscape, but many local residents are dissatisfied with relocation policies and compensation disparities.
• 🏗️ 🏗️ Despite its ambitious plans, Xiongan faces hurdles from China's slowing economy and demographic challenges, making its development critical for Xi Jinping's narrative.
• 📈 📈 Authorities foresee a growing population in Xiongan, predicting it could swell to 5 million by the coming decades, reinforcing its significance in urban strategy.
• 💼 💼 The project is heavily reliant on construction labor and faces challenges akin to those experienced during the early growth of Shenzhen, amid current economic uncertainties.

Q&A

• What impact might China's economic situation have on Xiongan's development? 📉

  Xiongan's development is challenged by China's economic slowdown and demographic issues, yet it is viewed as a crucial project for Xi Jinping's legacy. As the construction progresses amid economic difficulties, there's uncertainty about the sustainability of Xiongan's workforce and its long-term viability, especially given the risks posed by the country’s decoupling from the West.

• What is the living environment like in Xiongan? 🌳

  Xiongan is characterized by a quiet and green atmosphere featuring low-density buildings with limited skyscrapers compared to Beijing. While reports indicate that 120,000 people have moved into the city, mainly locals displaced from nearby villages, residents express dissatisfaction over compensation inequalities related to their relocations.

• How does Xiongan differ from other cities like Shenzhen? 🏙️

  Unlike Shenzhen's rapid and unregulated growth, Xiongan is a meticulously planned city that imposes strict limits on companies and home prices to prevent speculation. This planning is intended to attract technology and space sector firms, even though the city remains largely uninhabited despite official claims of a substantial population.

• What challenges is Xiongan facing due to environmental issues? 🌊

  There has been significant public outrage regarding the protection measures taken by authorities during floods, as they diverted floodwaters to protect Xiongan, which inadvertently affected surrounding areas. This has led to protests from citizens, who feel that the government is responsible for the resulting damage.

• What can you tell me about the Xiongan train station? 🚄

  The Xiongan train station, one of the largest in China, spans the size of 88 football fields and has the capability to handle over 100,000 passengers daily. However, it currently operates quietly as construction continues rapidly, with parts of the city being completed ahead of the anticipated 2035 deadline.

• What is the purpose of the Xiongan megaproject? 🌆

  The Xiongan megaproject aims to alleviate congestion in Beijing by creating a massive planned city that showcases China's urban development and technological advancement. With a $93 billion investment, this project transforms former cornfields and swamps into a modern metropolis located 60 miles outside the capital.

• 00:00 🏗️ Xiongan is a massive megaproject aimed at alleviating congestion in Beijing, built from the ground up with a $93 billion investment to showcase China's urban development and technological advancement.
• 01:01 The Xiongan train station, one of China's largest, is currently quiet despite its capacity to handle over 100,000 passengers daily. The ongoing rapid construction suggests a vision for a modern metropolis, with parts already complete ahead of the 2035 deadline. 🏙️
• 01:56 Xi Jinping emphasizes perseverance and unity in promoting socialism with Chinese characteristics, while the controversial protection of the Xiongan area amid floods sparks public outrage. 🌊
• 03:03 Xiongan, unlike Shenzhen, is a planned city with strict limits on companies and home prices, yet remains largely uninhabited despite state claims of substantial population. 🏙️
• 03:57 Xiongan is a quiet, green city with low-density buildings and limited skyscrapers, but local residents express dissatisfaction over inequalities and the impact of village relocations. 🌳
• 04:52 Xiongan's development faces challenges due to China's economic slowdown and demographic issues, yet it's seen as a crucial project for Xi Jinping's legacy. 🏗️