China has set goals for integrated Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regional development in the next 15 years mainly by transferring non-essential functions of Beijing as the national capital to neighboring areas.

By 2017, major breakthroughs in transportation integration, environmental protection and industrial upgrading in the integrated region will be achieved, said the document issued by the office of a leading group for the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area.

The document revealed key information of an outline of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integrated development program, which was approved by the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in April.