Xiongan New Area in Hebei province sent out invitations across the country on Thursday to attract professional and technical leaders for its newly founded construction company, the first such practice since the central leadership unveiled the blueprint of the area in April.

The State-owned company – China Xiongan Construction & Investment Group Co Ltd – was set up on July 18, with a registered capital of 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion).

Its business involves raising funds to construct houses and apartments, build transport links, energy infrastructure and public facilities, as well as to improve the environment and tourism development of Baiyangdian – a freshwater lake in Xiongan.

The company said it is looking for 23 professional and technical personnel at middle or advanced level to work in such fields as strategic research, planning and design, construction, environmental protection, finance, legal services and public relations.

All of the positions offered are at managerial level. The deadline to apply is Sept 6. Details are at www.ccthr.com/ch/xazp/xiongan.html.

“Applicants who are eager to participate in the area’s construction and development are welcome,” said a company announcement.

The announcement did not specify salaries for the positions. “I assume it won’t be bad, and possibly even be pretty attractive,” said an official surnamed Wang at the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integrated development office of Hebei Development and Reform Commission.

Wang said the jobs also will be challenging because the new area has been given a lot of attention due to its national significance.

China announced the decision to set up Xiongan New Area on April 1 to advance the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

It is another area with national significance after the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Shanghai Pudong New Area, which are testing grounds for the country’s reform and opening-up.

Top officials have said that to enhance the area’s attractiveness to top-level talent, it should develop with “people” being the core by improving public services, promoting social life and being equipped with superior resources.

Basic public services at Xiongan should be superior to those in Beijing and Tianjin so it can attract top talent, He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, has said.

To help Xiongan draw top international talent, the Hebei Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security has rolled out special policies to attract high-level talent and innovative teams.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon here on Thursday, agreeing to establish comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Applauding Tajikistan’s support for the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi said both sides should synergize the Belt and Road Initiative with Tajikistan’s national development strategy for the period up to 2030.

The two countries should cooperate more in transportation, energy, ports and network infrastructure development to improve all-round connectivity, Xi said.

The Chinese president suggested both sides break new ground in agriculture, industrial capacity cooperation and scientific innovation.

Xi encouraged Tajikistan to establish links with Chinese financial institutions, the Silk Road Fund and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, saying China is willing to work with Tajikistan to facilitate trade and investment.

As countries with great ancient civilization, China and Tajikistan can have more exchanges in culture, education and youth, according to Xi.

As rotating chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), China will work with Tajikistan for SCO progress in politics, the economy, security, culture cooperation and external exchanges, Xi said.

He said the SCO members should intensify partnerships in security, connectivity and trade, and foster an integrated development in the region.

Rahmon described China as a “good neighbor, partner and brother” and praised the close cooperation in politics, culture, trade and investment.

Tajikistan backs the Silk Road Economic Belt and will work with China to expand partnership in finance, agriculture, water resources, energy and mining, among others, Rahmon said.

He said Tajikistan looks forward to more coordination with China in regional and international affairs and more cooperation in law enforcement and security.

Rahmon said his country will give full support for China’s work as rotating chair of the SCO.

After the talks, the two heads of state signed a joint statement on establishing comprehensive strategic partnership.

China and Tajikistan agreed to jointly launch cross-border railway, road and natural gas pipeline projects, and explore cooperation in wind and solar energy, according to the joint statement.

Both sides will better share intelligence to fight the “evil forces” of terrorism, extremism and separatism, as well as cyber crime, drug smuggling and transnational organized crime, the joint statement said.

Tajikistan follows the one-China policy, opposes any form of Taiwan independence and supports the Chinese government’s effort to achieve national reunification, it said.

The two presidents also witnessed the signing of a series of cooperation documents, including a bilateral cooperation plan, and agreements on science, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, human resources and media.

Prior to the talks, Xi held a red-carpet welcome ceremony for Rahmon at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Also on Thursday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang met with Rahmon respectively.

Rahmon is paying a state visit to China from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 at the invitation of Xi. He will also attend the Dialogue of Emerging Markets and Developing Countries in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeastern China’s Fujian Province.

The first test-flight base for civilian drones opened in Shanghai on Thursday, according to the East China Regional Administration of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

There are about 110 manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in east China, nearly 30 percent of the national total, said Jiang Chunshui, Communist Party secretary of the administration.

East China also boasts 40,000 registered drones, more than one third of the national total, according to Jiang.

Private drones are popular in China and illegal drone activity has become a problem, especially at airports.

China has required civilian drones weighing more than 250 grams to be registered under real names from June 1. Over 120,000 drones have been registered, according to Ke Yubao, executive secretary of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of China.

“Drone users needs a test flight ground where they can learn the law and regulations,” said Ke.

The base is located at Qingpu district in western Shanghai. Drones are required to fly under 150 meters and all test flights are be monitored for safety.

China’s summer transport peak period ended Thursday, with nearly 600 million of passenger trips made by train this year, according to China Railway Corporation.

The period runs from July 1 to August 31, when students on summer vacation have time to travel or return home.

“During the transport peak, even tickets for business class on high-speed rail, which are much more expensive than standard tickets, were in high demand,” said Song Jianguo, an official with Beijing West Railway Station.

One high-speed train departed from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station every two minutes during the peak period.

During the summer, Yangtze River Delta railways recorded 118 million passenger trips, a year-on-year increase of 11.5 percent. Beijing Railway Bureau recorded 60 million during the same period.

Western China’s railways have also seen rising passenger numbers. The new high-speed link between Baoji in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province with Lanzhou, capital of neighboring Gansu Province, carried 41,100 people on August 12, the most since it started operations on July 9.

“With Baoji-Lanzhou line, the number of passengers from Xi’an to Lanzhou and Xining, capital of northwest China’s Qinghai Province has increased from last year’s 10,000 to 23,000 this year,” said Hui Lixia, deputy director of the Xi’an North Station.

A new airport terminal in Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei Province, went into use Thursday, when flight CZ6175 for Chongqing took off at 7:20 a.m.

At a cost of 40 billion yuan (6.1 billion U.S. dollars), terminal 3 of Wuhan Tianhe International Airport is expected to accommodate 35 million passengers annually by 2020, said Gan Xiangtian, deputy manager of Hubei airport group.

Annual cargo throughput may reach 440,000 tonnes.

T3 will take over all international and domestic flights, while T1 and T2 are renovated for budget airlines and special flights.

A transit center at the airport also opened Thursday, providing subway links, long-distance coaches, buses and cabs.

Tianhe airport saw 20.8 million passengers last year, up 9.6 percent from 2015. The airport has overseas flights to 47 cities in 24 countries.