Abstract: Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee and the guidance of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality, we have made important progress in strengthening Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges. Advancing Beijing's development in the new era brings about new requirements for improving the city's role as the center for international exchanges. We should fully understand the defining feature, fundamental goal and standard of promoting the development of Beijing as the capital of the nation in the new era and make continuous efforts in five areas of establishing mechanisms for serving international exchanges, building functional areas, creating platforms, pooling resources, and improving the environment, so as to break new grounds in strengthening Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges and untap the huge growth potential.
Key words: new era; foreign affairs work; Beijing's development; the center for international exchanges
As the capital of the country, Beijing plays a vital role in serving major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and head-of-state diplomacy, shouldering the glorious mission and historical responsibility. The 13th CPC Beijing Municipal Congress expounded on the priorities of Beijing's development in the new era and put forward new requirements for improving Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges. Building Beijing into a center for international exchanges is not only an important part of implementing the strategic positioning of the city's role as the four centers, but also an important way to deliver four services. We must shoulder greater responsibilities and make it our key mission to build the city into the national center for international exchanges at a faster pace, making new achievements on the new journey in the new era.
Fully understand the defining feature of promoting the development of Beijing as the capital of the nation in the new era and improve the city's functions to serve international exchanges
Beijing's development in the new era is ultimately about improving its functions as China's capital. To improve Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges, we must first make sure that Beijing's development must be aligned with its functions as the capital and provide first-class hardware facilities, quality services, and a safe and livable environment for the party and the country to carry out foreign exchanges, so as to further increase the city's capacity to better serve major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.
Over the past five years, Beijing has followed the Party's overall leadership. It has established leading groups for improving Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges with high standards, made high-level plans to promote major projects and special tasks, and comprehensively promoted the coordination of the central and local governments to jointly build the working framework of improving Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges. With an emphasis on the role of plans, special plans, action plans, and the guidelines for the 14th Five-Year Plan period have been formulated with high standards, which clarified the spatial layout, functional system, and key tasks of the international exchange center. Beijing has accelerated the building of key facilities for international exchanges. It has expanded and upgraded the Yanqi Lake International Conference Resort, upgraded the functions of the central area of the Olympic Park, initiated the construction of the Phase II and III of the China International Exhibition Center, and made continuous efforts to improve the capacity of Beijing Municipal Administrative Center, south Beijing, and other areas to provide better services for international exchanges.
On the new journey, we should prioritize the task of developing Beijing's functions as the capital, seize strategic opportunities, and enhance the sense of mission and urgency. We will plan the layout of the functional area of international exchanges and comprehensively enhance the facilities and capacity building to provide strong support for improving the city's functions as the capital of a great nation. We will fully implement the spatial layout of "one core, two axes, and multiple sections" and strengthen the supervision of the development of key areas. We should build more facilities for hosting national events. We will improve the overall functions of the Yanqi Lake International Conference Resort, keep making the theater, library, and museum in Beijing Municipal Administrative Center more international, and build more small and beautiful venues for hosting diplomatic and foreign affairs events. We should create an area that gathers international institutions. We will build the Fourth Embassy Area with high standards, plan ahead for a gathering place for international organizations, and attract them to settle in Beijing. We will create an area for staging international exhibitions by promoting the planning and construction of facilities such as Phase II of the China National Convention Center, Phase II and III of the China International Exhibition Center, and Daxing International Convention and Exhibition Center. We will create an area for international communication by strengthening functions of the Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport. We will create an area for international cultural and sports exchanges by leveraging Beijing's role as the "Dual Olympic City" and promoting the post-Olympic use of the facilities and venues.
Fully understand the fundamental goal of promoting the development of Beijing as the capital of the nation in the new era and incorporate high-level opening-up into the new development dynamics
Beijing's development as the capital in the new era should be high-quality development. The key to improving Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges is to enhance its international environment. We should continuously foster new advantages in international cooperation and competition and take advantage of more international resources to promote the high-quality development of Beijing.
Over the past five years, Beijing has given full play to various channels of international cooperation. By leveraging global economic, technological, educational, and cultural resources, it has become a more international city with enhanced influence. International organizations and institutions such as Global Music Education League and Global Alliance for Trade in Services have successively settled in Beijing, and 106 international organizations have registered in the city. Beijing is home to 54 Fortune 500 companies, ranking first among all cities in the world. The China International Fair for Trade in Service (CIFTIS) has been upgraded to an important platform for opening up; the Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) has been elevated to a platform both for global high-tech innovation exchange and cooperation and for the release, demonstration and trading of research findings and technology; the Financial Street Forum has played a major role in serving the building of a national financial management center and become a pacesetter of China's financial reform and development. The China-Germany Industrial Park, as the first national-level industrial park centered on economic and technological cooperation between China and Germany, has gathered more than 70 German-funded enterprises with a total annual output exceeding 30 billion yuan. The Beijing China-Japan Innovation & Cooperation Demonstration Zone, with a focus on the healthcare industry, the advanced manufacturing industry, and the digital economy industry, has attracted 45 foreign-invested enterprises and landed 63 top-notch industrial projects. A number of international science and technology exchange events such as the Global Digital Economy Conference, World 5G Convention, World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference, and World Robot Conference have been launched in the city.
On the new journey, we should focus on serving the Five Key Initiatives and deepen international cooperation. We will make great efforts to expand platforms and resources, balance "bringing in" and "going global", and keep enhancing the ability to allocate global top resources, so as to advance a broader agenda of opening up across more areas and in greater depth. We will improve the state-level platforms for opening up by making the CIFTIS, ZGC Forum, and Financial Street Forum more international, professional, and market-oriented and expanding their global outreach. We will make use of various channels such as sister cities, business associations and chambers of commerce of other countries and regions as well as foreign enterprises in Beijing to build an international cooperation platform. We will improve international science and technology exchange platforms. We will ensure the success of exchange events such as the Global Digital Economy Conference, improve intergovernmental science and technology exchange mechanisms such as the Beijing-Tel Aviv Innovation Convention, put forward major international cooperation plans, and enhance international exchanges in tech innovation. We should focus on attracting international high-end resources. We will implement the work plan to attract more international organizations, introduce facilitative measures, and encourage those organizations and their branches that are in line with Beijing's positioning and high-quality development to settle in the city. We will give full play to the "two zones" policy and support factor trading platforms, international certification agencies, and international rating agencies in settling in Beijing. We will work closely with the Fortune 500, leading companies in key fields, and hidden champions to introduce a number of foreign-funded projects in line with the capital's needs, and provide follow-up services for major projects. We will promote the building of high-quality talent communities and develop demonstration blocks with distinctive features such as the Wangjing Walk, and continuously improve the catalog of recognized overseas professional qualifications to attract more high-caliber international talent.
Keep in mind the original aspiration and the goal of Beijing's development in the new era and deliver greater benefits to people
It was emphasized at the 13th CPC Beijing Municipal Congress that we should put the people above all else, strive to improve public service capacity, and ensure a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for our people. People-centeredness is fundamental in the course of improving Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges. We should not only serve international exchanges of our country, but also meet people's expectations for a better life.
Over the past five years, Beijing has planned to establish 105 international schools and accelerated the building of eight pilot international medical institutions so that citizens can access quality international services at home. Beijing has also launched more than 60 signature international cultural festivals and activities such as Beijing International Film Festival and Beijing Design Week and introduced more than 30 well-known international sports events such as the China Open and the Beijing Marathon, meeting citizens' demands for leisure and entertainment. Beijing has taken the lead in introducing regulations on building an international language environment in the country, as well as creating an international and livable urban environment with diverse cultures, innovative businesses, and quality services that attract global talent for its high-quality development.
On the new journey, we will take a people-centric approach in which we always stay close to the people, have them in mind and serve them as we continue to improve the business environment and public services and build Beijing into an attractive international city for people to live and work in. We will provide better public services to foreign nationals, introduce measures for opening up the education sector in the new era, and help upgrade foreign-related services in public hospitals to meet international standards, so as to satisfy the diverse educational and medical needs of the people. We will improve the consumption and leisure environment by creating more small-scale international shopping centers with boutique and distinctive stores, introducing measures for category-based and tiered management of international sports events, and holding international sports events such as Beijing Marathon and international cultural festivals such as Beijing Music Festival, so as to deliver more and better results to the people.
Always uphold the highest standard in boosting Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges on all fronts
We will apply the highest standard in developing Beijing as the capital in the new era. Beijing is the only center for international exchanges in the country as well as a window for the international community to understand and engage with China. To further improve its role as the center for international exchanges, Beijing will adhere to the highest standard, strive for excellence and perfection with a strong sense of responsibility, forge ahead to break new grounds and make new achievements, and serve as a role model in the new era.
Over the past five years, Beijing has actively supported China's participation in global governance and communicated and cooperated with other capital cities, which have given Beijing a greater influence and louder voice among cities in the world. We have provided high-standard receptions for more than 700 party and state delegations with over 9,000 delegates, organized nearly 900 visits, inspections, and other activities, and provided logistic support for more than 10 major diplomatic events, including the first and the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and the Beijing International Horticultural Exposition. During the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, we overcame the adversities brought by COVID-19 with the spirit of bearing in mind the big picture, being confident and open, rising to the challenges, pursuing excellence, and creating a better future together1, and provided high-quality receptions for 31 foreign leaders. With such outstanding performance in both services and epidemic prevention, we achieved a new breakthrough in providing logistical support for major diplomatic events under the closed-loop model.
On the new journey, we will continue to apply the highest standard and strive for excellence throughout our work to boost Beijing's role as the center for international exchanges, improve the mechanism for serving international exchanges, and turn Beijing into a role model for serving major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. We will continue improving the mechanism for supporting head-of-state diplomacy with comprehensive services so that Beijing, as the capital of China, can better shoulder its responsibility and contribute its strength as it serves major country diplomacy. Building on the experience of hosting the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, we will tap into the Winter Olympics heritage, and improve the work mechanism and epidemic prevention plan for major national events. In the run-up to the Party's 20th National Congress, we will take a rigorous approach to foreign-related security and improve relevant coordination mechanisms to resolutely safeguard the security of China's state power, system, and ideology.
Note: 1"Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics Review and Awards Ceremony Opens". People's Daily, April 9, 2022, p. 1.
[References]
[1] Xi Jinping: The governance of China (Vol. III) [M]. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2020.
[2] Xi Jinping: The governance of China (Vol. IV) [M]. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2022.
[3] Wang, Y. Hold High the Banner of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and Write a Magnificent Chapter of National Rejuvenation. People's Daily, 2021-10-20
(Author: Xiong Jiuling, Director General of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality)
Originally published in Issue 10, 2022 of Qian Xian
