The most ambitious project of Xi Jinping has been revealed online (photos and videos).

The new state-level district of Xiong'an, located in the Baoding urban area of Hebei Province in China, was intended to become a model city in the history of human development, but in reality, it remains a ghost town that even its residents describe as dull, writes Express.

In April 2017, China announced the plan to establish Xiong'an, which encompasses the counties of Rongcheng, Anxin, and Xiongxian, as well as some adjacent areas in northern Hebei Province. The new district is designed to relieve Beijing of non-essential functions associated with its status as the capital of the country and to promote coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The country also promised to transform Xiong'an, dubbed the "city of the future," into an innovative, green, smart, and first-class city with blue skies, fresh air, and clean water, in line with the country's high-quality development path.

The construction of Xiong'an is expected to be completed by 2031. It has already cost Chinese authorities $85 billion, with the project personally initiated by President Xi Jinping.

During the planning of Xiong'an, engineers created an underground network of fiber optic cables that theoretically manages everything from facial recognition systems to autonomous vehicles. One of the city's most ambitious structures is set to be a road tunnel costing nearly $4 billion. It will pass through a mountain and become the longest in the world. Travel time will be significantly reduced, and the tunnel, named Tianshan Shengli, is expected to open for traffic in October 2025. Drivers will be able to cross the mountains in just 20 minutes.

With a total length of 22 km, the Tianshan Shengli tunnel will also cut travel time on the 480 km route from Urumqi to Korla, a major city in southern Xinjiang, to less than two hours.

State media claim that 1.2 million people already live in the city. This number may increase due to residents from the three districts that have been merged under its name. Ultimately, it is expected to accommodate around five million people.

Nearly eight years after construction began, Jinping is attempting to convince investors and citizens that the city has a prosperous future.

In a conversation with journalists, a local resident admitted that there isn't much active community life in Xiong'an.

"The youth work overtime, and there aren't many opportunities for relaxation or socializing. When it comes to finding a boyfriend, you'll have to rely on the hope that your friends will provide you with everything you need," she said.