Content with the present and optimistic about the future, Huang transferred his family's household registration to Xiong'an, where they now live. “We feel extremely comfortable, and our sense of happiness has greatly improved,“ he said.

　　Huang's story reflects Xiong'an's remarkable population growth. Since 2017, the new area has seen a consistent influx of residents, with its permanent population reaching 1.36 million by 2024, highlighting its increasing appeal as a hub for talent and opportunities.

　　Much like Huang, Jia has gradually relocated her family to Xiong'an over two years. “Every morning, it's just a five-minute walk to drop my child off at the kindergarten near home, followed by another 10-minute walk to the office,“ said Jia, noting that it's a simple pleasure she could never have imagined during her years in Beijing.

　　Spanning an area of 1,770 square kilometers, the new area aims to create favorable living conditions for residents, with parks, recreational facilities, schools and convenience stores all within a 15-minute walk. The plan is to dedicate only 30 percent of the city's space to urban development, leaving the rest for water and greenery, an exceptionally rare approach in China's urban development history.

　　Since 2017, Xiong'an has added a total of 481,000 mu (about 32,067 hectares) of trees, raising its forest coverage rate from 11 to 35 percent. Notably, the local country park, with a total area of approximately 18 square kilometers, is about five times the size of New York City's Central Park.

　　Baiyangdian Lake, one of northern China's major wetlands, has undergone its largest systematic ecological restoration in history, with water quality reaching the highest level since monitoring began in 1988 after water replenishment. The lake is now home to 295 wild bird species, an increase of 89 species compared to the period before the new area was established.