Later this month, more than 180 guests from over 90 countries will travel to Xiongan New Area in north China's Hebei Province for the 2026 Global Governance Forum, to be held from October 23 to 25. Between sessions on multilateralism, climate and artificial intelligence, many of them will step outside for a first look at the host city: a city designated in April 2017 to take on functions relocated from Beijing and still growing into itself.
Nine years on, the city that planted trees before pouring concrete is seeing everyday amenities fall into place.
More than 5,300 buildings have risen on what was, not long ago, flat farmland and shallow lakes. Over 400 branches of centrally administered state-owned enterprises and more than 600 high-tech firms have moved in. Some 483,000 mu (about 32,200 hectares) of new forest – the "Millennium Forest" – has taken root, and 15-minute living circles are filling in around them.