On the morning of September 27, the Foreign Affairs Office and the Information Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality held a press conference on strengthening Beijing's function as the center for international exchanges. Responsible officials from the municipal Foreign Affairs Office, Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and Beijing Talent Work, as well as those from Chaoyang District and other relevant authorities attended the event. Officials briefed reporters about the spatial layout in relation to the center for international exchanges, cultural and tourism integration, and communities for international talents and took questions.
Yu Haiyong, Deputy Director-General of the Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, provided an overview of work in this area:
Strengthening the city’s function as the center for international exchanges is an important part of the citywide efforts to implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era and his thought on diplomacy, as well as an important support for Beijing to promote a higher level of opening up to the outside world. The CPC Central Committee has attached great importance to the work and approved the creation of a leading group for this purpose. Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee Cai Qi has made several inspection tours and convened meetings. He clearly pointed out that the task of strengthening the city's role as the center for international exchanges serves the following purposes: to serve the major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era; to make Beijing a primary venue for China's major diplomatic and international exchanges activities, a leading hub for international scientific and technological innovation, exchange and cooperation, an important window to showcase China's cultural confidence, diversity and inclusiveness. These will also highlight China's ability to participate in global governance and to better meet the people's aspirations for a better life. We have earnestly studied General Secretary Xi Jinping's diplomatic thought and the guiding principles in his important speeches regarding Beijing, adhered to and strengthened the city's function as a core site for pursuing the major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, developed forward-looking plans about spatial layout, major projects and programs, continued to optimize the international exchange environment, actively cultivated new advantages in international cooperation and competition, and achieved new progress and results. Here, I would like to introduce the situation in six areas to you.
Faster improvement in top-level design
We have, on the basis of a continuously deepened understanding of the center for international exchanges, proposed the following measures: strengthening the four functions of serving and guaranteeing major international events, bringing together international high-end resources, stepping up support for opening-up and development of Beijing, and setting an example for other cities in terms of external relations, and focusing on building the six platforms of regular operational support, standardized resource supply, diversified resources clustering, multidimensional exchange and cooperation, facilitated public services, and city branding and promotion, thus establishing a theoretical framework for strengthening the city's role as the center for international exchanges and making a major breakthrough. Based on this, Special Plan for Strengthening Beijing's Role as the Center for International Exchanges has been formulated, establishing a spatial layout of "one core, two axes, and multiple sections" and charting the course of action for the next 15 years. We have also released the Action Plan for Advancing Beijing's Function as the Center for International Exchanges (2019-2022), specifying 48 hard infrastructure projects and 30 soft infrastructure tasks in addition to clear, specific and feasible instructions, timetables and roadmaps.
Steady progress in major projects
Major projects are the key to ensuring the city's function as the center for international exchanges. To this end, we have given priority to the Yanqi Lake International Conference Resort, China National Convention Center Phase II and the fourth embassy zone at this stage.
In accordance with the function as the core area of serving top-level international interactions and hosting whole-process main diplomatic activities, earnest efforts have been made to expand and upgrade the Yanqi Lake International Conference Resort. At present, the Regulatory Plan for the Yanqi Lake International Conference Resort has been compiled; the construction of Yanbai Mountain Villa's main structures have been completed and accepted after inspection, work on the Qihu cluster project has been accelerated, and the upgrading and renovation of the facilities around the lake have achieved good results.
Beijing will develop new venues to greet international friends. The main structure of the China National Convention Center (phase II) has sealed its roof and is expected to be put into use next year.
The fourth embassy zone will be planned and constructed to a high standard. The Regulatory Plan and Urban Design of the Fourth Embassy Zone has been launched for implementation, while the construction of the municipal infrastructure and the improvement of the environment have been carried out in an orderly manner, and the building of a vibrant, fashionable and cosmopolitan neighborhood has been accelerated, with the objective to make it another Sanlitun.
Work on Daxing International Airport Economic Zone, China International Exhibition Center's new venue (phase II and III), Universal Parks & Resorts, and the venues of Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are proceeding well, and the system of the international exchange facilities continuously improves.
Better service capabilities
As China gradually comes to the center of the world stage, the state events held in Beijing are growing both in number and scale. That puts forward higher requirements for service support and city operations.
With the principle of "maintaining regular operations without disturbing local residents", we successfully provided services and other supports for important state events, including two editions of Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition, and the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, where we displayed the image of confidence, inclusiveness and openness as the capital of a major country. Based on our previous experiences, we introduced regular working mechanisms to guarantee the improvement of services for important state events.
Meanwhile, the influence of important international events continuously improved. Beijing Trade Fair was upgraded to China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), which becomes another important platform for China's opening-up. The ZGC Forum, after improvements and upgrades, is now an international forum integrating such functions as exchanges, exhibitions, press releases and transactions. Financial Street Forum plays a key role in promoting Beijing Fintech Innovation and Professional Services Demonstration Zone, and has gradually become the bellwether of China's financial sector.
To show the cosmopolitan vibe of Beijing, we have presented more than 60 international cultural events such as Beijing International Film Festival and Beijing Design Week, and more than 30 world famous sports events such as China Open and Beijing Marathon, which has effectively improved Beijing's international influence and creativity.
Accelerated clustering of international high-end resources
We coordinated international and domestic resources and vigorously attracted international organizations and multinational corporations to settle in Beijing, thus supporting the city's high-level opening-up and high-quality development.
We strove for policy support from the central government, to attract more international organizations that meet our needs for high-quality development to operate in Beijing. We continuously optimized the international business environment and improved the policy package, to encourage the headquarters of multinationals to set up R&D centers and settlement centers in Beijing. We relaxed the restrictions on foreign investors that set up investment companies. As a result, 272 projects such as BMW's China investment, Daimler's investment in commercial vehicles, and Toyota Hydrogen Fuel Cell R&D Center settled in Beijing. The new manufacturing operations of Beijing Benz and the Global Technical Center of SMC China Co., Ltd. were completed in succession. The three world-famous rating agencies – Moody, Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings – set up their legal entities in Beijing one after another. Daiwa Securities, Toyota Financial and other institutions also moved faster to set up operation in Beijing.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Beijing has achieved good results in epidemic prevention and control and work resumption. It took targeted measures against the cluster infections related to Xinfadi Market, and brought the epidemic under control effectively in the shortest time possible. Thereby, Beijing established a positive international image in terms of security, stability, efficiency and openness, and continuously enhanced its influence. A good environment was created to attract international resources, and the combined effect of international resources has gradually become manifest.
Continuous improvements of international environment
We made great efforts to improve the capability of international public service, increase the supply of service resources, and enhance the city's attraction and competitiveness in the world.
We carried out a three-year action plan to develop international schools. We started the construction of 10 international schools, delegated the rights of approving schools for foreigners' children on a trial basis, and encouraged Chinese enterprises and individuals to open such schools, provided better education for international students in China and improved the administrative standards concerned, and raised the quality and efficiency of international education.
We introduced Work Plan for the Development, Reform and Innovation of International Medical Services in Beijing, which covers trial international medical services at eight hospitals including Peking Union Medical College Hospital. We promoted the construction of a batch of new projects including Anzhen Dongfang Hospital, and encouraged international hospital consortiums to set up branches in Chaoyang District.
We published the guiding principles for building communities for foreigners with professional skills in Beijing, and worked at a faster pace to improve eight such communities, including Wangjing, Zhongguancun (ZGC) Science City, and Future Science City. We implemented the regulations on the management of public signs in foreign languages, and revised the guidelines for the use of English for public signs. In addition, we conducted verification and rectifications of public signs in foreign languages in 28 key areas, including Financial Street and CBD. Thereby, the international language environment improved markedly.
New business forms continuously emerging
The global outbreak of COVID-19 presents a challenge to our work concerning the center for international exchanges. Despite the impact of the crisis, we have actively sought opportunities and timely put forward a package of measures to resume trade promotion for the city. The municipal government leaders wrote to the heads of 285 key foreign-funded enterprises and overseas business associations, to promote the safe and open business environment in Beijing.
We grasped the opportunities brought by new business forms that had emerged during the epidemic, and utilized digital technology to continuously create such activities as Virtual Meetings between City Leaders and Foreign Guests, Smart Exhibitions and Technology-Driven Olympic Winter Games. We also held brilliant online activities such as Appreciate the Beauty of Beijing Central Axis and the Online Concert of National Centre for the Performing Arts.
We worked to make the city an international consumption center. Wangfujing Group obtained the business qualification for duty-free merchandise. The setup of duty-free stores at airports and in downtown Beijing continued to improve. A range of activities like Beijing Consumption Season thrived, and the potential of international consumption was unleashed continuously, which met diverse and multi-level demands of consumers.
As new business forms grew despite the challenges, new infrastructure, new scenarios, new modes of consumption, new patterns of opening and new services came into being. International cooperation in digital economy maintained a strong momentum, becoming a new driving force for the city as the center for international exchanges.
As a Chinese saying goes, "Practice broadens our knowledge which in turn guides our practice." At present, the framework for strengthening the city's role as the center for international exchanges has been developed, and we are moving faster to vigorously implement it. On this occasion, we hope journalists and citizens will continue to support our work in this area, join us and help us break new ground.
Reporter: What impact did this epidemic have upon your work concerning the city's role as the center for international exchanges, and what would you do in response?
Yu Haiyong:
This epidemic had some impact on the task of strengthening the city's role as the center for international exchanges. For example, the international exchanges were hindered, travel restrictions were imposed, certain export-oriented industries were adversely affected, and some international events couldn't be held on schedule. However, the epidemic also brought a window period for us to enhance the internal strength and consolidate our foundation, and provided a strong stimulus for international communication in new forms such as Virtual Meetings between City Leaders and Foreign Guests, Smart Exhibitions and Online Sports events. We should treat the challenges and opportunities dialectically, focusing on the "four priorities" and "six promotions".
The "four priorities" concerns work in ensuring the “fundamentals” in four important areas. First, we need to consolidate the hard-won results in containing COVID-19, summarize and carry forward the experience and good practices in epidemic prevention and control concerning overseas arrivals, and further improve the foreign-related emergency response system. Second, we need to ensure on schedule construction of key projects, such as the Yanqi Lake International Conference Resort, China National Convention Center Phase II, and the Fourth Embassy Zone. Third, we need to guarantee with our quality services the successful hosting of important events, such as major diplomatic events and international conferences designated by the central government. Fourth, we should ensure public services, improve the capacity of offering international medical care and education, continuously optimize the international language environment, and actively explore new governance modes for communities of international talents while conducting the ongoing fight against the COVID-19.
The "six promotions" involves breaking new ground. First, we should promote the concentration of high-end resources, attracting international organizations, multinational corporations and international professionals to settle in Beijing. Second, we should promote innovation in business forms, grasp the new business forms and opportunities emerged in the epidemic, and foster new drivers for strengthening the city's role as the center for international exchanges, based on the setup of new infrastructure, new scenarios, new modes of consumption, new patterns of opening and new services. Third, we should promote the enriching development, continue to maintain the vigor of international cooperation in fields such as economy and trade, science and technology, and culture, explore the potential for cooperation in medical care and health industry, and promote the enriching development and high performance of international cooperation. Fourth, we should promote the upgrading of the city's image, encourage all stakeholders to help promote the image of Beijing, tell stories about China and Beijing in a compelling way, and improve the city's power to shape. Fifth, we should promote the policy supply, enrich the policy tools, and strive for policy breakthroughs and innovations in the operation of international organizations in the city. Sixth, we should promote public participation, and encourage social organizations, think tanks, media and citizens to work together in strengthening the city's role as the center for international exchanges.
The "four priorities" and "six promotions" I just talked about will be enriched afterwards, so as to make new progress in strengthening the city's role as the center for international exchanges.
