The press conference on Beijing’s development as a center for international exchanges during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, a part of the press conference series on Beijing’s performance in implementing the 14th Five-Year Plan, was held on October 14. Officials from the Office of Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform, the Beijing Municipal Administration of Government Services and Data Management, Chaoyang District, and Beijing North Star Company Limited delivered briefings and answered questions from the press.
Beijing’s International Influence and Appeal as the Capital of a Major Country Continue to Rise
Strengthening Beijing’s role as the center for international exchanges is a glorious mission entrusted to Beijing by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. The 14th Five-Year Plan period has been crucial for laying solid foundations and building momentum for this development initiative. It has also been a period during which this millennium-old capital has emerged as a more open and confident member of the international community and actively embraced the future. On October 14, the Information Office of Beijing Municipality held a press conference to present Beijing’s achievements in enhancing its role as a center for international exchanges during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.
Over the past five years, Beijing has stayed true to its mission and forged ahead with determination, delivering remarkable results up to the highest standards. The city has provided high-quality services and support for 15 major diplomatic and state events, expanded its international sister (friendship) city network at both municipal and district levels to 287, and planned 78 key facilities and projects. More than 8,000 new foreign-invested enterprises have been established, along with over 100 international schools. As a result, Beijing’s international influence, appeal and reputation have continued to rise. According to the International Exchange Centers Index 2025, Beijing ranks sixth globally and has secured its position as the top-ranking city in China for three consecutive years. This capital of a major country is increasingly appealing on the world stage as a highly global and distinctively charming city.
The Capacity to Support Head-of-State Diplomacy Reached New Heights
The “Beijing Service” Brand is Shining Brighter Than Ever
Beijing is not only the main seat for China’s major diplomatic events, but also the primary stage for head-of-state diplomacy. “Serving the major diplomatic endeavors of General Secretary Xi Jinping has always been our foremost political task in advancing Beijing’s role as a center for international exchanges”, said Feng Jian, Deputy Director General of the Beijing Foreign Affairs Office. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing established the nation’s first work mechanism to support head-of-state diplomacy, and improved the long-term service and support mechanism for major state events. It has also enhanced its capabilities in conference services, reception, city operations, environmental management, and volunteer support, further enhancing the golden brand of “Beijing Service”.
From the spectacular Beijing Winter Olympics, to the widely-followed Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) and the fruitful outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, each major state event has been a resounding success, earning high praise from both domestic and international participants. Moreover, Beijing has leveraged the city’s cultural heritage and technological innovation achievements to create the “Visit Beijing” system, a pool of recommended sites for diplomatic receptions that includes 456 entries. All the sites in the system have been carefully chosen to showcase Beijing’s fine blend of tradition and modernity from diverse angles.
New Breakthroughs made in the Capacity forHosting International Exchanges
The Total Indoor Exhibition Area Across the City Has Nearly Doubled
The realization of international exchange functions relies on physical spaces and infrastructures. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing has continuously optimized the layout of venues for international exchanges, with a focus on the core zone, two axes, and multiple areas, comprehensively enhancing its overall capacity for international exchanges.
The Implementation Guidelines for the Plan on Building Beijing into the Center for International Exchanges outlined key areas for hosting international exchanges: 289 priority blocks, 14 key towns, 66 key facilities to be upgraded, and 15 new facilities in the pipeline. Alongside the protection of the Beijing Central Axis for its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, historic and cultural landmarks like the Temple of Heaven, Zhengyangmen, and Xiannongtan are being used more for diplomatic events, infusing the ancient Central Axis with renewed vitality. The development of the four embassy zones is being advanced in parallel: comprehensive improvement of the first, second, and third embassy zones continues, the land allocation procedures for diplomatic use in the fourth embassy zone have been completed, and the surrounding integrated transportation network has been further developed.
Major projects have continued to achieve remarkable results. The Beijing Yanqi Lake International Conference Resort has been expanded and upgraded, hosting 25,000 events by the end of 2024. The main construction phase for the China Great Wall Museum’s renovation is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The Museum will serve as a demonstration base for protecting the Great Wall World Cultural Heritage and the permanent venue for the Badaling Summit Forum. The Zhongguancun International Innovation Center, the China National Convention Center Phase II, and the Capital International Exhibition & Convention Center have all started operation, nearly doubling the city’s total indoor exhibition area compared with the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Meanwhile, the three cultural landmarks in the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center (BMC) have become new hubs for international cultural activities.
New Strides Made in Advancing High-Standard Opening Up
The Total Number of Foreign-Invested Enterprises in Beijing Exceeds 35,000
The strong potential of international exchanges as a growth driver has been fully unleashed during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. “Beijing is building platforms, smoothing channels, and pooling resources to transform its advantages in international resources into tangible productivity for high-quality development.”, said Feng Jian. The capacities of national-level opening-up platforms have been steadily enhanced, exemplified by the growing international influence of events such as the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), the ZGC Forum, the Financial Street Forum, and the Beijing Culture Forum. Country-to-country cooperation initiatives have also been further advanced. For instance, the Beijing Sino-German International Cooperation Industrial Park and the China-Japan Innovation & Cooperation Demonstration Zone have collectively attracted 286 foreign-funded and related enterprises.
International travel to and from Beijing has recovered rapidly due to China’s new entry and exit policies. According to Feng Jian, in 2024, Beijing’s two airports had flights with over 120 international and regional destinations, and the city’s ports recorded 4.85 million inbound and outbound trips by foreign nationals, representing a 125% year-on-year increase; and inbound trips by foreign visitors reached 3.21 million, an increase of 188% year-on-year. Many international organizations and multilateral institutions, such as the Global Alliance for Trade in Services (GATIS) and the World Internet Conference (WIC), have settled in Beijing. The number of international organizations in Beijing has increased to 127, marking a 32% rise compared to the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period.
Beijing has continued to be a strong magnet of foreign investment, with landmark projects like AstraZeneca’s Global Strategic R&D Center and Deloitte University successfully implemented. The city is home to 271 regional headquarters of multinational companies and 279 foreign-funded R&D headquarters, with the total number of foreign-invested enterprises exceeding 35,000. Beijing has been ranking top globally for 13 consecutive years for the number of headquarters of Fortune Global 500 enterprises, with 47 such enterprises based in the city.
Further Improvement in Serving International Communities
A Comprehensive Package of Service Measures Makes Life in Beijing Much Easier for Foreign Nationals
Beijing’s transformation into an attractive city that “appeals to people from near and far” is a result of its efforts to become more international, convenient, and people-oriented. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the city has implemented a series of coordinated policy measures. Beijing’s Work Plan on Improving International Services was introduced. As part of this plan, Beijing has become the first provincial-level jurisdiction in China to implement payment facilitations. Multilingual city service guides and travel guides have been compiled and published. “Beijing Service” airport service counters have been set up to offer more than 20 frequently used services in areas like finance, transportation, and tourism. Innovative initiatives, such as the BEIJING PASS all-in-one transport card, the tap-and-go automated subway fare system that supports five major international bank cards, and the combination of bank cards and SIM cards have effectively addressed bottlenecks in payment, transportation, and communication services.
In terms of work and daily life for foreign expats, Beijing is promoting full coverage of the “Joint Application of Work Permit and Residence Permit” for foreign professionals and expanding the use of foreign permanent resident ID cards in over 20 areas. Beijing is the first city in China to achieve fully online processing for establishing foreign-invested enterprises. An international qualification recognition catalog has been published, which allows for the first time the mutual recognition of professional qualifications between China and other countries. The Regulations of Beijing Municipality on Improving Language Environment for International Exchangeswere launched, along with an international web portal of the city’s government website and an English-language WeChat official account. The translation accuracy of foreign-language signs in public spaces across the city has exceeded 99%. “These improvements on details continuously enhance the convenience of conducting business, studying, and traveling in Beijing for foreigners.”, said Feng Jian.
At the same time, government services have become more international. Two key services—“Qualified Foreign Investor Approval and Account Opening” and “Foreigners Working in China”—have been included in the 2025 “All-in-One-Go” government service reform list. Government service centers at all levels, as well as one-stop international talent service centers, are equipped with foreign-language staff and smart devices to provide multilingual business consultations and services. The 12345 Citizen Hotline now supports calls in eight different languages, while the international version of the city’s website features a dedicated 12345 online section. The Beijing Service WeChat official account also includes a message board to help foreign residents raise their complaints and demands.
