The biggest city in the world that you've never heard of might be Jingjinji, travel across
the width of it and you'll pass by the homes of over 130 million people.
If realized, Jingjinji would knit together three distinct geographical areas that span
82,000 square miles.
It's roughly the size of New England.
Urban planners have been dreaming of this mega metropolis since the 1980s.
But in May, China's President Xi Jinping officially endorsed the plan, although many
details about how the plan would be carried out remain unknown.
Even as China's overall economy has slowed, this project would help the lagging North
catch up with a stronger economy in the South.
Government officials want to rezone businesses to foster the growth of cleaner, high-margin
and innovative industries.
But critics caution that too much focus will be on the business zones and not enough on
where workers actually live, which are often far away and lack revenue, resources and services.
Here in Yanzhao, on the outskirts of Beijing, Xi Long gets up at 5am.
He's up early because he needs to wait in line for the bus.
The line for the bus can go on for blocks.
But when Mr. Wang reaches the front of the line, he's not going to get on the bus.
Instead, he's going to keep waiting.
He's holding a spot for his daughter so she can sleep an extra hour.
At 6.30, when she shows up, the two switched places and Miss Wang gets on the bus.
Although her commute to Beijing is only 20 miles away, it will take two hours each way.
This is what Xi really feels like, one is ashamed, the other is happy.
Where are you ashamed?
As a daughter, I don't give my parents or my family a happy life.
Another thing is that I work here every day.
The house in Beijing is really expensive and I can't afford to buy it.
I can't afford to buy a small house this year.
Plans for the super city ring hollow for Miss Wang, and she isn't alone.
The vast majority of her city's 700,000 residents endure similar commutes.
They worry the government's lack of vision won't bring funding to where they live.
Schools are already overcrowded and hospitals only provide basic services.
But if there is a problem, you can take our medical care.
It's been a few years and we still don't have any medical care.
Why is medical care a problem?
In this area, we still don't have any medical care.
Despite the government's big announcement, concrete details on a timeline for Jingjingji remain scarce.
But with over 130 million people living in the proposed metropolitan area, integration will be a clear challenge.
