On the morning of March 23, Yin Li, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, met separately with Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, and David A. Ricks, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Eli Lilly and Company.

During the meeting with Ola Källenius, Yin introduced that the automotive sector is the largest segment in Beijing's manufacturing industry, boasting a comprehensive system for the design, R&D, and validation of complete vehicles and key parts. Given the huge market demand, especially the booming production and sales of new energy vehicles, the city presents tremendous business opportunities for domestic and international automakers. Amid profound changes in the automotive industry, Beijing holds first-mover advantages in emerging areas such as electrification and intelligence. This is underpinned by the city’s abundant resources in education, technology, and talent, along with well-established supporting infrastructure. We have formulated relevant industry plans and supportive policies to further improve charging services, expand the High-level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone, and explore more application scenarios such as autonomous shuttles. These efforts have solidified the foundation and provided ample space for cooperation at deeper levels between the two sides. It is hoped that Mercedes-Benz Group AG will further expand its investment and presence in Beijing, accelerate project development for earlier production, introduce more new car models, and join hands to expedite the transition to electrification and intelligence. Unremitting efforts have also been made to bolster the resilience of the industrial and supply chains by increasing key parts supply, and strengthening upstream and downstream supporting measures for parts supply and trade in services in areas around Beijing. It’s also hoped that the group will join Beijing's efforts to promote the green and low-carbon development of the automotive sector, thereby making greater contributions to improving urban environment and achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.

During the meeting with David A. Ricks, Yin emphasized Beijing's strong commitment to improving the health and well-being of its people, and promoting high-quality development of the healthcare sector. The city possesses rich resources in education, science and technology, and talent as well as a top-notch innovation ecosystem, with R&D intensity maintained at over 6%, driving the in-depth integration of medical care, scientific research, and industrial development. The city offers extensive support policies, such as the "two zones" initiative and various pilot measures in the medical and healthcare sector. Additionally, Beijing has a solid industrial foundation, with rapid growth in medical devices and biopharmaceuticals, and a comprehensive intellectual property protection system, including a specialized intellectual property court and institutions for drug patent linkage protection and intellectual property insurance. As a key focus for development, the medical and healthcare sector welcomes domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies to share development opportunities in Beijing. Yin hoped that Eli Lilly and Company will actively expand its production and R&D in the city, strengthen cooperation with local institutions, and jointly introduce more innovative drugs and advanced therapies. It is also encouraged to strengthen investment and cooperation in biotechnology innovation to facilitate the commercialization of research findings, as well as enhance cooperation with Beijing’s technology enterprises to advance the digitization of the sector, and deliver intelligent medical products and services.

Ola Källenius highlighted the unwavering commitment of Mercedes-Benz Group AG to exploring the Chinese market, particularly the Beijing market. The group aims to intensify cooperation with BAIC Group, and keep pace with the trend of intelligent connected vehicles to advance the electrified, intelligent, and low-carbon development of the automotive industry. Moreover, it will increase investment and launch more competitive products for mutually beneficial development. David A. Ricks stated that Eli Lilly and Company stands ready to align its investment strategy with Beijing's development needs, further expanding its presence and R&D investment in Beijing. It will deepen cooperation with Beijing in such areas as innovative drugs and advanced therapies to provide more high-quality products and services, contributing to the high-quality development of Beijing's medical and healthcare sector.

Municipal leaders Xia Linmao and Jin Wei attended the meetings.