Beijing has arranged 255 major engineering projects this year to accelerate the construction of its sub-center. By now, the overall design of the sub-center and the detailed design of six key areas have been reviewed by experts.

By the end of April, a total of 27 new projects have been launched, and 140 projects worth 16.35 billion yuan (US$2.41 billion) are under construction. The first-phase construction of the sub-center’s administrative area is speeding up, and the city’s major departments are expected to begin relocation by the end of this year.

Shi Weiliang, chief planner of Beijing’s urban planning and land resources authority, revealed that the plan of the six-square-kilometer administrative office area of the sub-center has been completed. He said that the overall plan of the entire Tongzhou District was rolled out last year, with the focus on the planning of the peripheral towns with unique characteristics and their coordination with the sub-center, surrounding cities and downtown Beijing.