Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli on April 6 called for strict controls on property development in Xiongan New Area.

He said the area should see a “reasonable pace of development” while underscoring that large-scale real estate development and illegal construction would by no means be allowed.

Zhang was speaking at a conference on coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) region.

He demanded measures to strictly control housing prices, planning and population in regions around the new area, guard against speculation in the land and property markets and control industries seeking to establish a presence there.

He said “high standard, high quality and high level” should be applied in the planning of the area, stressing innovation, policy support, and environmental protection.

Xiongan should be “a green, livable modern urban area, a region led by innovation-driven development, a demonstration area of balanced development and a pioneering region of open development,” he said.