SHIJIAZHUANG, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The Xiongan New Area in north China's Hebei Province plans to plant about 6,670 hectares of trees this year.

The afforestation is to be implemented in spring and autumn, respectively, with the engineering cost for the spring session at 708 million yuan (102 million U.S. dollars), according to China Xiongan Group.

By the end of 2019, Xiongan had planted 14 million trees covering an area of 20,700 hectares, said the government-funded company.

In 2017, China announced to establish the Xiongan New Area to move non-capital functions out of Beijing.

Featuring high technology, smart urban planning and a sound ecological environment, the new area aims to become a significant part of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei cluster and provide a Chinese solution to "big city malaise," including overcrowding, pollution and traffic congestion.