On the evening of March 23, the “Beijing Night”, Reception of China Development Forum 2025 was held at the China National Arts and Crafts Museum. More than 50 global executives from multinational corporations and heads of international organizations were present. Yin Li, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, delivered a speech, with Lu Hao, President of the Development Research Center of the State Council, and Yin Yong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Mayor of Beijing, also in attendance.
Yin Li extended a warm welcome to both old and new friends, expressing gratitude for their longstanding support for Beijing’s development. He said that Beijing, as the capital of China, is a city that features a profound history and modern vitality. In 2024, Beijing’s regional GDP exceeded 4.9 trillion yuan, growing by 5.2%. The per capita GDP and labor productivity measured by output per worker are among the highest in the country. The momentum for innovation is strong, with the city’s R&D intensity remaining at above 6%. Beijing-based researchers secured 431 entries on the Highly Cited Researchers list, more than any other city in the world.. The city’s cultural heritage is flourishing, with the successful inscription of the Beijing Central Axis on the UNESCO World Heritage list, making Beijing the city with the most World Cultural Heritage sites globally. Beijing boasts dynamic opening-up, housing 221 foreign-funded R&D centers, and witnessing the establishment of more than 2,000 new foreign-funded enterprises last year. The city has made new progress in improving its role as a center for international exchanges.
Yin Li emphasized that, for now and the years to come, Beijing is dedicated to leading the nation in basically achieving socialist modernization and steadfastly promoting high-quality development. Beijing is committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to enhance economic and trade cooperation, capitalize on opportunities within our vast market, broaden reciprocal trade in high-quality products, and proactively identify new growth areas in services trade, digital trade, and green trade. Beijing strives to advance collaborative innovation, establish platforms for sci-tech exchanges, and accelerate the application of innovative research outcomes, thereby invigorating technological innovation and achieving greater economic and social benefits. To deepen industrial cooperation, Beijing is dedicated to strengthening collaboration across industrial chains in emerging industries like artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and new energy for mutually beneficial development. Beijing also endeavors to foster open cooperation, welcoming all parties to actively engage in the development of the “two zones” and utilizes open platforms such as the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), Zhongguancun Forum, Financial Street Forum, and Beijing Cultural Forum, to achieve more tangible outcomes. The city is striving to foster a market-oriented, law-based, and accessible business climate in keeping with international standards. As a fertile ground for investment and development, the city welcomes all to invest, do business, and achieve greater growth.
On behalf of foreign guests, Roland Busch, Chairman of the Managing Board, President and CEO of Siemens AG, delivered a speech. He noted that Beijing is a unique international city where tradition meets innovation. They are grateful that Beijing has created a world-class business environment and are honored to contribute to the city’s development. Looking ahead, business and investors will seize the opportunities to deepen exchanges and cooperation with Beijing, jointly creating a dynamic and robust innovation ecosystem to support Beijing’s high-quality development.
During the event, both Chinese and foreign guests toured the China Contemporary Arts and Crafts Biennial and enjoyed a splendid cultural performance.
Also in attendance were leaders from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Development Research Center of the State Council, and the Beijing Municipal Government, officials from relevant departments and districts of Beijing, and heads of some Chinese enterprises.
(Written by Fan Junsheng)
