Mafang town in Beijing's Pinggu district is rapidly evolving into a major logistics hub, playing an increasingly important role in the national strategy to coordinate development across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. 

Once a modest railway town, Mafang is now transforming into a logistics center that serves the capital, connects across China, and links to global trade networks—powered by the Jingping Comprehensive Logistics Hub.

Mafang's connection to logistics dates back to the late 1970s. In 1977, despite limited resources, Pinggu independently launched the construction of Beijing's only local railway. Completed after eight years, the 16.2-kilometer line began operations in 1985, primarily carrying coal, grain, and other bulk goods. This laid the groundwork for Mafang's logistics ambitions.

The Jingping Comprehensive Logistics Hub in Mafang town, Beijing's Pinggu district. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

To chart a clear path forward, Pinggu released a five-year development plan (2022–2027) for the logistics hub, covering 8.7 square kilometers across four towns in Pinggu and parts of neighboring Hebei. The plan features a "one hub, five corridors" layout, combining two railway lines and three expressways into a unified transport network.

Around 5,000 mu (about 333 hectares) of land has been earmarked for logistics development, drawing in 16 major logistics firms—including JD.com, and Cainiao—with a combined investment of 33 billion yuan (about US$4.52 billion). 

So far, over 2,800 businesses have set up operations in Mafang town, including 39 enterprises above designated size, boosting industrial clustering and supply chain coordination.

Technology is at the heart of Mafang's upgrade. The town is rolling out automation through robotics, drones, cloud computing, and AI, while working closely with tech companies to develop next-generation logistics solutions. Warehouses and logistics parks are becoming increasingly automated, improving efficiency and cutting costs.

To improve land use, Mafang has introduced a "large-block" approach—merging smaller, fragmented plots into larger, more efficient parcels to maximize development potential.

Looking outward, Mafang is positioning itself as a gateway for international logistics. With a "three stations, six terminals" rail system fully integrated into the national railway network, the town is expanding multimodal transport that combines road, rail, sea, and air.

New freight lines—including international, intercity, and intra-city routes—are strengthening Mafang's trade links. The launch of China-Europe freight trains in particular has opened new corridors for global commerce and added fresh momentum to the Belt and Road Initiative.