URBAN PLANNER “So Tianjin is like this and Beijing is like this. Look here” “Jing-Jin-Ji is this area. But this is not all of it, there are still cities in the south.” TITLE CARD: The Making of a Supercity The biggest city in the world that you’ve never heard of, might be Jing-Jin-Ji. Travel across the width of it and you’ll pass by the homes of over 130 million people. URBAN PLANNER “Jing-Jin-Ji is Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.” 00:02:15-00:02:25 The city group will stimulate the region’s economy. MAP GRAPHIC (map here) If realized, Jing-Jin-Ji would knit together three distinct geographical areas that span 82-thousand square miles, roughly the size of New England. Urban planners have been dreaming of this mega-metropolis area since the 1980s. But in May, China’s President Xi Jinping officially endorsed the plan, although many details about how the plan would be carried out remain unknown. Even as China’s overall economy has slowed, this project would help the lagging north catch up with the stronger economy in the south. Government officials want to rezone businesses to foster the growth of cleaner, high-margin, innovative industries. URBAN PLANNER “Beijing will be emphasized as the capital. It will be a political and cultural center, an international communication center and a technology center.” “Tianjin will be the research and development center for advanced industries for the country as well as the international water transportation center for northern China.” “Hebei will be the base for processing and manufacturing.” But critics caution that too much focus will be on the business zones, and not enough on where many workers live, which are often far away and lack revenue, resources, and services. Although the rail network is expanding, for many, transportation is already a big issue, and some fear that the current plans for jing-Jin-Ji will only make it worse. FADE TO BLACK - Vignette of family Here in Yanjiao, on the outskirts of Beijing, Qi Wang gets up at 5:00 am. He’s up early because he needs to wait in line for the bus. MUSIC INTERLUDE THING SEEING HIM IN LINE The line, can go on for blocks. But when Mr. Wang reaches the front of the line, he’s not going to get on. Instead, he’s going to keep waiting. He’s holding a spot for his daughter so she can sleep an extra hour. FATHER 00:02:48-00:02:53 Most of them go to work in Beijing. 00:01:00-00:01:02 As a parent, if she doesn’t get a seat I feel restless. 00:01:02-00:01:06 So I wait in line for her everyday. At 6:30, when she shows up, the two switch places and Ms. Wang gets on the bus. Although her commute to Beijing is only 20 miles away, it will take two hours, each way. DAUGHTER 00:01:39-00:01:47 As a daughter, I am failing to provide a happy life for my father and family. 00:01:47-00:01:57 Even though I work there everyday, Beijing’s houses are really expensive. I really cannot afford it. 00:01:58-00:02:04 I could only buy a small apartment using my whole year’s salary. It’s really like this. Plans for a supercity ring hollow for Ms. Wang, and she isn’t alone. The vast majority of her city’s 700-thousand residents endure similar commutes. They worry the government’s lack of vision won’t bring funding to where they live. Schools are already overcrowded and hospitals only provide basic services. FATHER 00:32:13-00:32:16 Some places got helped and some don’t. 00:32:16-00:32:25 Take our medical care as an example, it’s been years and nothing has implemented yet. 00:32:25-00:32:34 Why? We moved from one place to another and we haven’t got our medical cards yet. Despite the government’s big announcement, concrete details on a timeline for Jing Jing-Jin-Ji remain scarce. But with over 130 million people in the area, integration will be a clear challenge. URBAN PLANNER 00:15:40-00:15:47 In the future, coordinated development of Jing-Jin-Ji will level the development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. 00:15:47-00:15:51 With development, Hebei’s economy will be brought up. 00:15:51-00:15:53 After the economy is brought up, people’s incomes will grow. 00:15:53-00:15:56 Slowly, Jing-Jin-Ji will eliminate the wealth gap between the three places. FIN