Beijing wholesalers, and huge development zones, still in the planning stage

konjaku: continuing to follow what is going to happen to the displaced Beijing wholesalers. They must find a place among large-scale plans for economic development zones on the city periphery. In the planning stage, the nod seems to go to those conceived on the most massive scale…Yongqing is again a strong contender, but the story is not over yet. All these Trade Cities, High Tech Industrial Parks, etc, have yet to be constructed.

Yongqing manufacturing and commerce at the same time show strength–a plan to merge with the Yizhuang Economic Zone puts the project back on the front burner

2015-01-14

http://finance.chinanews.com/house/2015/01-14/6966789.shtml

International Clothing New City rises suddenly from the ground

In the last year or so, in the wake of the Beijing Tianjin unification strategy, Yongqing, once a sleepy county town, has risen to national prominence, because of the development of Taiwan Industrial New City and the International Clothing New City.

Compared to half a year ago, the International Clothing New City, now again under construction, is buzzing with excitement. The interior of a high building on the east side is being fixed up, a steady stream of vehicles is bringing in materials. On the west side, a factory and office building are taking form. At each construction site there is a sign designating which company is in charge of construction, the total area of the project, a schematic diagram of the construction plan, etc. –all clearly marked.

Actually, it was four years ago that ground was broken for the construction of the International Clothing New City, and ten years ago that Yongqing got Taiwanese merchants to start development of the Taiwan Industrial New City. But at that time the national policy was not clearly formulated, and it was difficult for the Taiwanese industry to attract investment. Construction was broken off. The Taiwanese merchants withdrew, and the Zhejiang merchants stepped in. The site name changed to Zhejiang Merchants Clothing New City, but from force of habit people still called it the Taiwan Industrial New City.

Once the Beijing Tianjin unification plan was solidified, increasingly the clothing industry focussed on moving the clothing factories and markets clustered in the second and third ring [in the center of Beijing]to somewhere outside the city. Although Yongqing seemed the superior choice, both for its location and because construction had already started, Baigou [in Hebei, also in between Beijing and Tianjin] and Xiqing[near Tianjin] were also candidates, making the choice still up in the air.

Just when these satellite towns seemed all the same, in their capacity to absorb the excess production of Beijing, Yongqing laid out its trump card. It would join up with the Beijing Economic and Technology Development Zone [also called the Yizhuang Development Zone], and would form the “Beijing Yizhuang Technology Park,” or “New Yizuang.” The New Yizhuang would be a fusion of industry and commerce, drawing from both for its effect, as a model of Beijing Tianjin unification. The Clothing City to the north, the Yizhuang zone to the south, will side by side develop a new industrial park, including high tech industries and medical research.

Available land for all this development was limited. In the end, the Clothing City will have to split into sections. One insider said, the manufacturing and wholesale segments will stay at their original locations, but the more high end trade and selling outlets will be at another site to the north.

However, it is premature to say that this “two city” [Yizhuang and Yongqing] development will actually be realized. Can the International Clothing City be built on such a massive scale? Can the New Yizhuang really be as immense as current projections make it? If this development is going to be the model project for Beijing Tianjin unification, first there has to be a top-level plan, that will make us nod in assent.

For this project to actually come about, the major obstacle to overcome is the lack of land available to meet the target. At present there is some 700 mu (117 acres) designated for the International Clothing City, but this is to be used for garment factories. The plan to move the clothing wholesale markets out of Beijing has just been completed, but which land parcel will be used is still up in the air. Therefore Yongqing has requested from the province and nation 2215 mu of agricultural land, to make up the balance. Since next year they will need more invested capital, manpower, and material resources for the construction, this application for land will be the start of a policy tilt in favor of their development.

“Right now we are just waiting for the national plan to come out, hoping this will solve our land problem,” a Yongqing developer said.

Beijing business news reporters: Li Duo, Chen Tingting

konjaku: The following article moves us up the present (2015-04). No mention of Yongqing.

Beijing zoo area wholesale market businesses urgently need a new place to move to — looking in Shijiazhuang [capital of Hebei]

2015-04-23

http://finance.people.com.cn/n/2015/0423/c1004-26889762.html

As the work of moving the Beijing zoo area, and Dahongmen wholesale markets begins in earnest, the number of people coming to take a look at the Shijiazhuang THE CITY International Trade City continues to climb [file photo, above]

“This year the Beijing City government has announced it intends to get rid of the congestion stemming from the wholesale markets. This is a promise of the city government to the citizens. It is about to be accomplished, there isn’t any choice in the matter.” This was the response of the municipal party secretary and mayor Wang Anshun to any points of controversy, pushing forward against any opposition.

Since the announcement was made at the beginning of the year, the wholesale business have been in a ferment, searching for the ideal spot to move to on the Beijing periphery. Shijiazhuang, Langfang, and Baigou have advertised themselves as having the capacity to handle this large shift of businesses. Where will the shrewd operators end up?

The display and sales center for the Shijiazhuang THE CITY International Trade Center has been full of people every day during April. A woman said, she and her friend managed a business in the Tianyi market for many years. Before coming here, they had been to Baigou, Yongqing, etc. After analyzing the business possibilities, the convenience for daily life, and the traffic conditions, they had decided on Shijiazhuang. “We have already purchased four adjoined units in the market, and made a reservation at an extended stay hotel nearby. In the future the Beijing zoo area and Dahongmen wholesale markets will move here, and this will mean more people will also come here to live. Therefore buying a residence here would also be a good investment.”

“Beijing is in the process of shedding industries not essential to the functioning of the capital, to decrease congestion. Shijiazhuang is in the process of restructuring its economy and upgrading its industries. Integrating this effort with the Beijing Tianjin Hebei unification,will be a very promising project,” said market development committee general secretary Xu Pengfei.

A Beijing Xicheng District official said, “Shijiazhuang is Hebei’s provincial capital, ideally located between Beijing and Tianjin, it has a substantial population, healthy patterns of consumption, circulation of goods, traffic, schools, medical facilities: in many aspects an abundance of resources. In the future the Shijiazhuang economy wil grow, it will be advantageous for our merchants to move there now.”

Shijiazhuang THE CITY International Trade Center is being built by a Zhejiang merchant bloc, which has invested 80 billion yuan. It will include research and development, business and trade, warehouses and goods distribution, e-commerce, and manufacturing, all integrated together. The first thing to be built in the Trade Center will be a 3 million square meter business complex in the form of a shopping mall. Each building will have rooftop parking and a pedestrian plaza.

“Whoever comes here will be treated as a special guest, we will welcome you with favorable policies and optimal facilities, both hard and soft[ware]. We sincerely invite the Beijing zoo area clothing wholesalers, and the Dahongmen wholesalers, and every other business under heaven, to let our THE CITY create a comfortable spot for you,” said an International Trade Center representative.

New Beijing Daily reporter: Fang Wangyang

the site in its current state