On September 16, Feng Jian, member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Beijing Municipal Government, said at the press conference on promoting Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges that serving the country's overall diplomacy is the primary function of Beijing as the center for international exchanges. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing successfully completed the task of serving major diplomatic events such as the first and second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019, Beijing, and the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations.
During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing focused on establishing mechanisms, laying foundations, and building platforms. A high-level leading group for improving Beijing's role as the international exchange center was established and the organizational structure of "one office and eleven teams" was created. The Special Plan for Improving Beijing's Role as the International Exchanges Center was compiled and adopted, and the Action Plan for Improving Beijing's Role as the International Exchanges Center (2019-2022) was issued and implemented, which helped Beijing unfold its framework of building as the center for international exchanges in an all-round way and achieve remarkable success.
As for improvement in supporting facilities, Beijing focuses on making steady progress in major projects to improve the city's capabilities of serving top-level international interactions and strengthen its role as the core venue for carrying out major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. The expansion and upgrade of the Yanqi Lake International Conference Resort are in steady progress. The Main Media Center (MMC) for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, as part of the phase II project of the China National Convention Center, is completed. The planning and construction of the fourth embassy zone have been carried out earnestly. The construction of the China International Exhibition Center's new venue (phase II and III) has been accelerated. Daxing International Airport is completed and put into operation. Facilities of major international exchanges have improved continuously.
In providing high-quality services, Beijing has received more than 12,000 guests of the Party and the state from 900 delegations, and organized nearly 1,300 visits and field trips. Beijing has earned recognition for its services from foreign guests and leaders of international organizations. The hospitality and sincerity of the Beijing people won high praise from the international community.
As to the clustering of high-end resources, Beijing continuously attracts international high-end resources to support the city's high-level opening-up and high-quality development. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the International Center for Creativity and Sustainable Development under the auspices of UNESCO have successfully settled in Beijing. The number of international organizations in Beijing has increased from 73 to 99. Beijing is home to 60 Fortune Global 500 companies, ranking first in global cities. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing's actual use of foreign capital reached 82.07 billion yuan, 1.8 times that of the 12th Five-Year Plan period. With more than 60 international cultural events developed and 94 international sports events held successfully, Beijing has become much more attractive and charming as a global city.
In terms of promoting external relations, the number of city-level sister cities increased from 52 to 55, and district-level sister cities increased by 61. Inter-city exchanges and cooperation platforms such as the Joint Committee of Exchanges and Cooperation Between Beijing and Seoul and China-CEEC Capital Mayors Form have been improved constantly. Since the start of Covid-19, Beijing has organized a series of virtual foreign exchange events, donated anti-epidemic supplies to 55 cities in 27 countries, and made many genuine friends and partners. Beijing's "circle of friends" is continuously expanding.
To optimize the service environment, Beijing has been continuously upgrading its international education, international medical care, international talent communities, international business travel services, as well as the international language environment, making continuous improvement in its capability of delivering international and convenient public services.
(Reporter: Chen Xuening)
