Underground tunnels in China’s Xiongan New Area, located 100 km southwest of Beijing, will be integrated with buildings to move packages as if they were on an assembly line, automating the process of deliveries to pick-up lockers, JD.com’s logistics unit predicted at a forum held on Thursday, according to a press release.

Xiongan, which the Chinese government says is part of the country’s “millennium strategy,” is still under construction.

JD.com told KrASIA on Friday that JD Logistics is the sole company entrusted by Xiongan’s government to study possible ways in which the underground logistics network can be built. The settlement zone where the delivery system may be located covers 12 square kilometers in eastern Rong County, one of the three counties that make up Xiongan.

JD Logistics currently handles small-scale deliveries for online purchases as well as shipments for businesses, though its current proposal for Xiongan focuses on fulfilling e-commerce orders.

The exact specifications of the delivery system have not been defined yet, said JD.com. The company pointed out that JD Logistics is currently planning, designing, and devising solutions for the network.

Contact the writer at jingli@kr-asia.com