Opinion | The solution to Beijing's problems: move the capital to Hebei

Early next month, the ruling Communist Party is scheduled to elect a new generation of leaders to head the country for the next 10 years. As the incoming leaders ponder the future of the country they should also spare some thoughts for the future of the capital where they live.

First-time visitors to Beijing are likely to be impressed by the combination of majestic historic sites like the Forbidden City and gleaming modern glass structures like the National Theatre. But for its nearly 20 million long-suffering residents, Beijing is fast becoming notorious as one of the mainland's most unlivable cities.

Beijing has long prided itself as the country's political, cultural, and economic capital. But because of this it has also developed the fully fledged megacity syndrome seen in some other poor countries, including dense population, soaring property prices, traffic jams and environmental pollution.

The traffic congestion has reached unbearable levels in a city with more than 5 million vehicles and growing. On many days there are no "rush hours", because the jams last all day long. The municipal government has introduced tough measures to limit the number of cars on the road, with the sale of new cars restricted through a lottery, while it has spent tens of billions of yuan to build subways and other public transport.

The effect on congestion has been minimal, however.

Meanwhile, many more flock to the city each year, seeking jobs and stretching the city's already thin services in medical care, education and housing. Soaring prices have made owning a home beyond the reach of the young and the poor, forcing the city to impose tight controls over the type of residents who can buy a flat and the number of flats they can buy.