The interurban railway between Beijing,Jixian county and Tianjin launched on July 12, 2015. [Photo/CFP]

Business boost

Zhang Qingwei, the governor of Hebei, says the province - the largest and most populous in North China - will be the biggest contributor to the integrated cluster, but it will also benefit more than the two other members.

Its economy is weaker than that of Beijing and Tianjin, so the presence of many relocated industries would provide a much-needed boost for local businesses, he says.

According to a recent report in the 21st Century Business Herald, Hebei will be developed into a major logistics base, a pilot zone for industrial transformation and upgrades, urbanization and urban-rural integration, and a center for sustainable, eco-friendly development.

Ye, from the Capital University of Economics and Business, says the proposals make strategic sense and indicate future growth sources.

Hebei has also decided to promote regional industrial zones and develop satellite cities. A series of projects to upgrade regional transportation, industrial cooperation and environmental protection will start the ball rolling. The first of them, a railway connecting Baoding in Hebei and Tianjin, will be operational by the end of the year.

"This is a good time for us to grasp all the opportunities, to gain confidence and promote local businesses and trade. We must strike while the iron is hot," Governor Zhang says.

zhengjinran@chinadaily.com.cn