In 2020, with the rapid growth of economic aggregate in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, citizens enjoyed more of the fruits of economic development and social progress due to the implementation and improvement of projects related to people's livelihoods.

Infrastructure

Since last year, while facing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi'an has effectively promoted the construction of urban infrastructure in accordance with international standards.

The construction of all eight venues in the city for the 14th National Games has been completed. After the 14th National Games, all newly built and renovated stadiums in Xi'an will be open to the public, allowing residents to enjoy these outstanding sports and entertainment facilities.

Xi'an's rail transit construction has also made breakthrough progress. At the end of 2020, Metro Lines 5 and 9 and the first phase of Metro Line 6 began operations, achieving a one-time additional operating mileage of 83 kilometers – exceeding the total mileage added from 2016 to 2019.

The launch of Xi'an Metro Line 9 provides citizens with more travel options. [Photo/xiancn.com]

Education

Xi'an regards education as its top livelihood project and has vigorously implemented a three-year action plan for upgrading basic education.

In 2020, the city's fiscal education expenditure was 21.06 billion yuan ($3.25 billion), and education funds accounted for more than 17 percent of general public budget expenditures.

Xi'an Gaoxin No 1 Experiential High School is put in use in the fall semester in 2020. [Photo/xiancn.com]

The city issued 3 billion yuan of school construction awards and supplementary funds to its districts, counties and development zones.

In the fall semester of 2020, 195 new, renovated and expanded schools were successfully used in the fall semester of 2020, adding 194,000 study positions.

Old community reconstruction

Xi'an has always attached great importance to the renovation of old communities.

By the end of 2020, the city reconstructed 1,861 old communities covering an area of 25.45 million square meters, far exceeding the expected target. The living conditions of the general public and the appearance of the city have undergone a qualitative improvement.

Environmental improvements

Through several measures, Xi'an's air quality continued to improve in 2020. The number of days with good or excellent air quality during the year was 250, an increase of 25 days year-on-year. The city experienced excellent air quality on 56 days.

Throughout the year, 13 days were classified as heavily polluted, 13 days less than 2019, and the city eliminated severely polluted weather for the first time.

The construction of greenways, urban landscape belts and ecological corridors was also promoted, improving rivers and lakes' water quality and increasing people's happiness.

Xi'an citizens walk in a park. [Photo/xiancn.com]