Presidents and Party secretaries of more than 10 institutions of higher education, including Renmin University of China, Beijing Language & Culture University, and Beijing Polytechnic University, were invited by Beijing's Foreign Enterprise Service Corp. (FESCO) to give counsels to "Huabei University Town" under construction.

"Huabei University Town", located in Hebei's Langfang Economic and Technological Development Zone 40 km away from Beijing proper, was built with investment from FESCO. The "university town" is planned to cover 10,000 mu (15 mu = one hectare). The construction area of 2 million square meters will be completed within 10 years, involving an investment of 5 billion yuan. The 260,000-square meter construction, involved in the first-phase project, is scheduled to be completed in August 2000. The project, when completed, can provide study and living area for 15,000 teachers and students.

Presidents advanced their suggestions on the town's location, construction, and operational mechanism. They believed the establishment of the "Huabei University Town" would help to ease the shortage of school buildings facing the expanded enrollment of students to institutions of higher learning. Gao Lin, vice-president of Beijing United University, felt satisfied with the study and living conditions of the 160 new students of the university, indicating that his university would send 2000 students to study in the "Huabei University Town" next year.