This momentum is also translating into new opportunities seized by a growing number of new residents. Liu Yangang, an employee of State Grid Digital Technology's Xiong'an branch, is one of them.

Initially assigned from Beijing in 2022 as a cost control manager for an innovation center project, Liu primarily made short-term business trips to Xiong'an in the early stages.

After discovering the new area's well-defined development plans and promising prospects, and learning living costs were nearly half of those in Beijing, Liu and his wife relocated their family there in 2023.

"Our decision was driven by a greater sense of security, policy-enabled benefits, improved quality of life and confidence in Xiong'an's long-term potential," Liu said.

Not long after the move, both Liu and his wife successfully applied for the Xiong'an Talent Card, which provides holders with streamlined access to services ranging from business registration and household settlement to healthcare, transportation and children's education.

"My card arrived within a month of applying. The convenience is real," Liu said.

To date, more than 17,000 Xiong'an Talent Cards have been issued. Since 2017, Xiong'an has seen a steady influx of people, with the number of its permanent residents rising from about 1.05 million to approximately 1.41 million, an indication of the area's growing appeal.