Dhaka, March 24 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping made a rare visit to the ambitious Xiongan project still under construction near Beijing, calling on officials to "throw themselves" into completing a task on which he has staked his name and legacy.

Located about 100 km (60 miles) southwest of the capital in the province of Hebei, the Xiongan New Area ranks among three special zones "of national significance", along with the tech and financial hubs of coastal Shenzhen and Shanghai Pudong.

"The Xiongan New Area should take reform and innovation as the driving force to promote the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation," Xi said during Monday's visit, according to official news agency Xinhua.

Xi is looking t...