The skyline in the eastern Beijing district of Tongzhou already has a new look. Construction works are underway at every corner, high-rise buildings are springing up and streets have been paved.

The Beijing Municipal government plans to move most of its services to Tongzhou by the end of 2017, as part of efforts to decongest Beijing and set forth a better living environment.

Construction works around Tongzhou

With a larger chunk of services taken out of the city center, Beijing will remain a political, cultural center of the country and an innovation hub.

The plan is expected to draw about 400,000 people from central Beijing to Tongzhou and gradually reduce the population growth rate. Currently, the city has about 22 million residents.

The relocation of services to Tonzhou is part of a long-term integrated development plan meant to ease pressure on Beijing by developing outlying areas as far as Tianjin and Hebei province.

The new administrative center in Tongzhou is expected to improve public services in education, healthcare, cultural events and industries in Tongzhou.

The villages around Tongzhou central business district have been overhauled and replaced with decent condominiums for residents who were compensated and relocated.

Located about 22km from central Beijing, Tongzhou has some iconic landmarks, including Yunhe canal which stretches as far as Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province.

Yunhe Canal is a major landmark in Tongzhou

New hub

The area around Yunhe canal has been beautified and the recreational park kept neat where residents take time to relax under tree shades, play music or drive around in carts.

Mr Xu, who has lived all his life in Tongzhou and runs a kiosk inside the Canal park, says the facelift around the suburb has been fast since government revealed plans to move services there.

Mr Xu has lived all his life in Tongzhou and sees change all around him

“The canal bridge was narrow but in 2007, it was expanded. The main street has been renovated and the standards of our schools have improved,” Xu narrates.

In the past, it would take Xu four hours by bus to get to downtown Beijing, but now, it takes about 40 minutes since the suburb is now connected to the Beijing Subway.

He is upbeat and expects the number of residents in the area to grow, which he says will be good for his business.

Across Xinhua street, Mr Yu, a cleaner who has lived in Tongzhou for six months says he has witnessed a lot of changes in the suburb in just a short time.

Mr Yu, a cleaner in Tongzhou district says the area has been transformed

“There are a lot of cultural activities and a steady increase in traffic. Construction works and business are growing rapidly,” Yu observes.

He foresees a rise in property prices in the area but says he is not worried about rent since his daughter, with whom he lives, bought an apartment. 

Some of the apartments built by government for residents who were compensated and relocated from a village in the central area of Tongzhou

Tongzhou No.3 High School that has since been renovated and placed under guardianship of Remnin University