By leveraging digital intelligence tools and connecting inclusive growth globally, PDD Holdings Inc's executive president and head of its new Xinpengmu unit, Zhu Zheng, outlined the company's arrival in Xiong'an New Area during a keynote speech at the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services on September 11. Less than two weeks later, data released by the company brought its commitment to establishing roots in Xiong'an and serving the national strategy into sharper focus: On May 27, PDD's Xiong'an subsidiary was officially registered; on June 21, it purchased and took ownership of an entire office building from China State Construction Engineering; and by September 23, the subsidiary's headcount had surpassed 5,000 employees. Starting from zero, that is less than four months in total.

As the largest private enterprise to establish operations in Xiong'an New Area, PDD has added its own chapter to this future-oriented city that carries the weight of a millennium-spanning national initiative.

The Role of 5,000 Employees in Xiong'an

The answer centers on platform governance, data processing, and the upgrade of traditional industries. PDD has positioned its Xiong'an subsidiary as a data processing service hub for traditional manufacturing and a comprehensive service center for its high-quality development. In simple terms, the Shanghai team sets the rules and standards for the platform ecosystem, while the Xiong'an team handles execution and implementation, creating a clear upstream-downstream division of labor between the two cities.

In Zhu Zheng's address, the broader strategy became clearer. 2026 marks the beginning of PDD's next decade of development, centered on focusing on core business and investing heavily in supply chain upgrades through the new Xinpengmu entity. The Xiong'an operations focus on core functions such as product compliance review, data annotation and analysis, and data-driven intelligence for traditional industries.

At the operational level, the review and annotation teams provide high-quality data support for algorithms. Take the new "Virtual Fitting Room" project as an example: the algorithm generates product images on models of four body types—slim, normal, slightly curvy, and full-figured—and annotators evaluate whether the displays look realistic and match product details, flagging any unrealistic presentations for revision. This process is backed by a database that generates additional training data for algorithm models, continuously improving their accuracy, offering consumers more realistic on-model visuals on product pages, boosting conversion rates for apparel merchants, and effectively addressing the industry pain point of high return rates in the clothing category. The feature is currently in gray-scale testing on the platform and may eventually expand to categories like footwear, hats, and home textiles.

Other functions, such as the advertising creative review team that vets merchant promotional images and copy, the merchant service team that resolves operational issues, and the merchant admission review team that guards the first checkpoint for seller onboarding, all share a common goal: fostering a healthier platform ecosystem and building trust between buyers and sellers.

A Heavier Path Forward

Integrating thousands of review roles directly into its own workforce is uncommon in the industry. Several PDD employees in Xiong'an with relevant industry experience noted that many platforms outsource such functions to bases in regions like Hainan, Sichuan, Xi'an, and Dalian. PDD has chosen a more resource-intensive route: direct hiring and direct management, with all employees under direct contracts and full social insurance contributions benchmarked to first-tier city standards.

The head of the merchant admission review team, Xing Lianghuo, who previously handled compliance reviews at major internet firms like Didi, ByteDance, and Tencent, compared the two approaches: under outsourcing, frontline issues must pass through layers of contract workers, their managers, and liaisons; with an in-house team, problems go straight to operations and development, allowing for immediate resolution. Beyond efficiency, quality improves too—the team's re-review rate for approved merchants reaches 50%, compared with an industry benchmark of around 30%. The trade-off, he acknowledged, is higher costs than outsourcing.

That meticulous management extends to role division. The admission team splits tasks into document verification, specialized re-reviews, and periodic retrospectives, with multiple defense layers beyond the initial check. In Xing Lianghuo's view, platform governance is shifting from reactive response to proactive prevention, embedding rules into product design—a shift that requires exactly this kind of stable, in-house team. The heavy investment signals a long-term commitment: rather than oscillating between building in-house and outsourcing, the company prefers to sink its roots deep.

Why Xiong'an Was the Choice

The pairing of PDD and Xiong'an makes sense on both industrial and urban levels. Since its establishment, Xiong'an New Area has anchored itself as a "digital city," making its digital DNA a natural fit for data processing work. Zhu Zheng noted that PDD formally began establishing its Xiong'an subsidiary in May of this year, marking the start of a new chapter of integrating into Xiong'an's development and serving the national strategy of globalizing Chinese manufacturing.

The broader Hebei hinterland around Xiong'an has deep roots in traditional industries like textiles and apparel, which are already a significant part of the e-commerce ecosystem. Most importantly, there is the people factor. Currently, 80% of the Xiong'an subsidiary's employees come from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and 99% were recruited externally from outside the company, with only about 1% transferred from other cities. Local talent policies provide support, with subsidies at every education level from vocational diplomas to doctorates, and the company assists employees in applying for them. The cost of living is also manageable—annual rent for a two-bedroom apartment typically runs around 13,000 yuan, with a 10-minute walk to work and free parks and large supermarkets right downstairs.

Xing Lianghuo said Xiong'an meets the vast majority of his daily needs. "There's no subway, but I don't need one. My commute to work is just three minutes on foot, and the area has hospitals, schools, parks, libraries, and gyms nearby—the 15-minute living circle is not just talk."

A Four-Month Organizational Mobilization

Hiring 5,000 people in four months is an organizational feat in itself. The advance team started with around 10 people, each building out their own recruitment efforts, and the first batch of 150 new employees joined in early June. Headquarters dispatched HR teams for on-site support, while the national recruitment network participated in virtual interviews simultaneously. New hires undergo 7 to 10 days of systematic training, with additional sessions arranged for those who need more time to keep up.

The teams skew young, with 2000s-born employees in the majority. Huai Ying, who manages the advertising review and merchant service teams, said the oldest member of her team is herself, born in 1998, while the youngest was born in 2006 and just turned 20. Last month, the Xiong'an subsidiary held its first internal promotion review, with parallel tracks for management and specialist roles, open to all eligible employees. Huai Ying summed up the company culture in three words: efficient, simple, and grounded. "Ask a question in a group chat, and someone answers within seconds. Even cross-department coordination gets responses at an incredibly fast pace."

Jin Wangshu, who switched from the exhibition industry to work on the "Virtual Fitting Room" project, said her biggest takeaway after three months at PDD is the absence of internal friction—do the job well, and results speak for themselves. Recognition of the new job among employees shows up in small ways. Huai Ying's team of 110 members generated over 50 resumes within two days of her posting an internal referral notice. Jin Wangshu, a local from Anxin County in Baoding, gave up a job elsewhere to join PDD in Xiong'an, swayed by a chorus of recommendations from family and friends back home.

Rapid expansion also brings management challenges. Huai Ying acknowledged that as headcount grows, individual attention can wane, and she is adjusting her management style to ensure everyone keeps pace.

People and the City, Both Transforming

The commute has gone from an hour on the subway to a 10-minute walk, and the pay is solid, with the bonus of family meals after work. For Jin Wangshu, these are the most tangible changes her new job has brought. In college, she used to shop online by pasting product photos onto model images to visualize fit; now, she is an annotation reviewer for the "Virtual Fitting Room" project—a mirror for consumers choosing clothes. She says Xiong'an's transformation is visible month by month: "From farmland and grassland to full-scale office buildings and libraries, looking back, there's change every month."

Huai Ying, a PDD management trainee who moved between Ningxia, Beijing, Nanjing, and Guangzhou over six years, volunteered to come to Xiong'an. She grew from a member of the 10-person founding team to leading a 110-person unit. "I was one of the first 'old hands' here—when we started, there was nothing, and we couldn't have imagined reaching this scale so quickly."

Xing Lianghuo, who hails from Daqing and previously worked at major internet firms in multiple cities, was used to long-distance family arrangements. He is delighted with his new job and Xiong'an's 15-minute living circle, and has made long-term plans: "Once the project stabilizes and I'm past my probation period, I want to bring my family here to settle down."

The city's changes are just as concrete. The commercial district around the office has come to life, with new merchants opening on food delivery platforms daily and more young people strolling in the parks. Employees joke that the biggest winners are electric bike sellers and real estate agents—the bike parking area downstairs is nearly full, and local rents have risen about 20% in just a few months. A ride-hailing driver noted that morning rush hour has started to see traffic jams, and that seeking opportunities in Beijing or Tianjin is no longer the only option—staying home has become a solid choice.

Speed in Service of the Long Term

Four months, 5,000 people, one building. PDD's pace reflects both a deliberate business push into the digital economy and alignment with Xiong'an New Area's development rhythm. The moves are fast, but the underlying work—buying property, direct hiring, talent cultivation, sustained investment—is all about the slow, steady build. "We've bought a whole building in Xiong'an—what reason would we have not to develop here long term?" That is the signal PDD sends to every job seeker. It echoes Zhu Zheng's remarks at the trade fair: PDD will continue to be guided by its philosophy of inclusiveness, people-first values, and openness, applying the strategic patience befitting a millennium-spanning initiative to contribute to Xiong'an's high-quality construction and development.

Turning Xiong'an New Area from blueprint to reality requires more enterprises willing to put down roots. They bring more than jobs and tax revenue—they bring the vitality, industry, and confidence that a new city needs most. Here, enterprise and city are building each other up.