City planners will attempt to "wake up" Tongzhou district over the next five years with a major development aimed at creating tens of thousands of jobs.

Located roughly 20 kilometers east of Tian'anmen Square, the district will build a 155-square-meter "new town" able to accommodate 900,000 people, most likely non-Beijingers looking for cheaper homes to buy or rent.

The move will be coupled with a project targeted at bringing the headquarters of large State-owned and private enterprises to the area, Wang Yunfeng, district Party chief, told METRO on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress.

Due to its large commuter population, Tongzhou has been dubbed a "sleeper town", meaning it is almost deserted during the day.

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However, Wang revealed that a slew of new facilities, including hospitals, shopping malls and schools, will be constructed in the next five years to better meet the needs of residents.

To meet international standards, the new town will also advocate the low-carbon concept. "All the roads in core area will be pedestrian-only, with a four-story underground space for vehicles and malls," said Zhang Yong, deputy district chief of Tongzhou. The "pedestrian first" design is the first of its kind in capital, according to the district government.

In addition to the convenience of working and living in the same area, the district's draft 12th Five-Year Plan (2010-2015) features several entertainment facilities, including a Chinese culture theme park.

"France has Moulin Rouge and the United States has Broadway. We hope Beijing can have something impressive for foreign tourists, to show them the genuine Chinese culture and history," said Wang, who described the park as a "Chinese Disneyland" with classical characters and tales.