Major Beijing cultural structures enter final construction stage

BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Apart from the centuries-old Grand Canal, Beijing's sub-center Tongzhou will attract people from neighboring regions with its upcoming public cultural architecture.

A theater, a library, and a museum in the district have entered final construction. They will be the front-runner facilities opening to the public by the end of this year, said their investor Beijing Investment Group Co., Ltd., on Wednesday.

The three cultural buildings, covering nearly 300,000 square meters, are set to be the new landmarks of the sub-center, aiming to accommodate 1.3 million permanent residents by 2035.

Each building was designed with the participation of international teams, said the investor, adding that it has the confidence in building world-class facilities.

The three buildings also boast renewable building materials and energy-saving technologies that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 10,000 tonnes per year, said Sha Gang, a deputy manager of the project.

Beijing has stepped up efforts to promote the quality-driven development of its sub-center. It has witnessed the settlement of headquarters of centrally-administered state-owned enterprises, branches of state-owned commercial banks, and high-tech companies.