International organizations and multinational companies may set up their headquarters in the capital's Tongzhou district, to the east of Beijing's central business district, if revisions to the metropolis' urban plan are approved, Beijing News has reported.

During ongoing discussions about updating Beijing's urban blueprint, planners have proposed the construction of "Tongzhou New City", southeast of the suburban district of Tongzhou, both to boost the regional economy and ease pressure on the capital's downtown core, said the district's deputy head, Zhang Hua.

The district's international vision is part of Beijing's plan to revise its urban development strategy, Huang Yan, the director of the Beijing municipal commission of urban planning, told the newspaper. She said the commission will kick off a "large-scale modification" in 2013 to address problems arising from fast urbanization.

The current plan, which sets targets for the city's economic and social development between 2004 and 2020, does not take into account the rapid urban expansion the capital has seen, she said, adding that the revision will provide more public services, such as power supply and transportation, and be mindful of environmental protection.

A resident of Tongzhou surnamed Hu complained to China Daily about the inconvenience of commuting between her suburban home and her office in downtown Beijing.

"Sometimes, I can't even get into the overcrowded subway carriage but I have no other choice because taking the bus is even worse," the 30-year-old said.

Beijing's population reached 19.6 million last November, exceeding a target in the existing urban plan that calls for the population to remain below 18 million.

Li Jianxin, a sociology professor at Peking University, said the city government "lacked anticipation" in its policy-making.

"The original plan focuses more on city expansion and economic growth, while it has failed to offer a coordinated strategy to balance environmental protection and development," he said.

Huang said the revised plan will also highlight the restructuring of urban development among districts and the integration of regional development between the capital and neighboring Hebei province and Tianjin municipality.

China Daily

(China Daily 05/25/2011 page4)