In recent years, Beijing has made great strides in improving its role as a center for international exchanges by focusing on four areas: providing support for major state events, bringing together international high-end factors, underpinning open development and leading the way in international exchanges.

As Beijing is working to shape itself into a world-class harmonious and livable metropolis, it shows people a dynamic and beautiful center for international exchanges with a rich culture.

Consolidating its role as the capital city through urban development 

As China is playing a more active role on the world stage and hosting a growing number of diplomatic and state events, Beijing, as a core area for pursuing China's major country diplomacy, has brought into full play its role as the capital city to serve China's diplomacy, the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and the development of new-type international relations while providing support for head-of-state diplomacy and major diplomatic and state events.

Beijing has continuously expanded and improved various facilities and venues for international exchanges. According to the spatial pattern of “one core, two axes and multiple sections”, it has optimized traditional spaces for state events such as the Chang'an Avenue, continued to build the Yanqi Lake International Conference Resort and China National Convention Center Phase II and planned and built the fourth embassy district up to high standard, and developed the area of Beijing Daxing International Airport into a new gateway for international exchanges. All these have significantly strengthened the city's capacity for hosting major state events.  

In addition to the “hard infrastructure”, Beijing has also demonstrated its “soft power”. It has incorporated the support and services for major state events into its urban governance system and governance capacity modernization drive and accumulated rich experience in preparing for and serving major events. The city released and implemented the Regular Working Mechanism on Guaranteeing Services for Major State Events in March. 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Beijing has provided high-quality services for major diplomatic events such as the APEC China 2014, the First Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2017, the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2019, the 2019 International Horticultural Exhibition, and the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations. The distinctive services provided by Beijing have won high praise from the leaders of participating countries and international organizations from around the world.

In recent years, revolving around its urban development plans and strategic objectives, Beijing has taken full advantage of the international exchange opportunities and resources that come with its status as China's capital city to promote greater openness in the services sector, improve the international business environment, deepen the integration of domestic and international resources, and foster new advantages in international cooperation and competition. This has lent momentum to Beijing's high-level opening-up and high-quality development, consolidating its role as the capital city through urban development. 

Beijing brands gain international influence 

In the process of improving its role as a center for international exchanges, Beijing has focused on bringing together international high-end factors to stimulate the inflows of global political, economic, sci-tech, educational and cultural resources, attracting more international elements and greatly elevating its status as an international metropolis.

As of the end of 2019, 179 Fortune 500 companies have been headquartered in Beijing, the most in the world for seven consecutive years. It has maintained strong momentum in attracting foreign enterprises and investments as well as international organizations. 

Beijing has been increasingly recognized as an open and inclusive city where a number of specialized exhibitions and conventions with international influence have been held. In particular, the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) and ZGC Forum have become iconic gatherings in the services sector and the technology sector respectively.

The Beijing International Film Festival, Beijing Design Week, Beijing Music Festival and Beijing International Tourism Festival have been held up to high standards. Meanwhile, the city has actively promoted prestigious international events such as the China Open, Beijing Marathon, Snooker China Open, FINA Diving World Series Beijing and FIS Freestyle and Snowboard Big Air World Cup Beijing. The flourishing international conventions and exhibitions, festivals, and sporting events have injected new vitality into the long-term development of Beijing brands.

Telling the true stories of Beijing 

In the process of international exchanges, Beijing has advanced pragmatic cooperation with other parts of the world by serving as a primary window to demonstrate China's achievements in reform and opening-up and modernization drive. It has played an exemplary role in international exchanges while working hard to tell its stories well and make China's voices heard around the world. 

With the help of Shougang Hierro Peru S.A.A., Marcona has transformed from a small fishing village with just 100 people into a town with a population of over 10,000. Beijing-based enterprises have helped create landmarks and must-visit attractions around the globe, from the Beijing Hotel in Minsk, Belarus to the Lotus Tower in Colombo, Sri Lanka. As evidenced by the Four Seasons Residences in Bangkok, Thailand and the Velana International Airport in the Maldives, Beijing-based enterprises have been widely applauded for their outstanding architectural design capacity, engineering innovation capacity and construction standards and speed. 

Beijing has followed the philosophy of green Olympics in hosting the Olympic Summer Games in 2008 and preparing for the Olympic Winter Games in 2022, winning high recognition from the International Olympic Committee. The Olympic Games are an important window to highlight China's role as a participant, contributor and leader in global ecological conservation.     

The New Shougang Park has turned from a traditional old industrial park into a new landmark that symbolizes urban revitalization in the new era. In line with the low-carbon concept, the carbon dioxide refrigeration system has been used in the venues for the Olympic Winter Games, which will reduce CO2 emissions in a way similar to planting over 1.2 million trees. During the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2019, Beijing and the Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries jointly held a local cooperation subforum and shared experiences and practices in historical and cultural city protection, construction of key hubs, air pollution control and other fields with its sister cities such as Vientiane in Laos and Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.

Stories about Beijing are going on and on in the new era. They not only become a source of materials in international exchanges but also spur Beijing to promote further opening-up and write a new chapter on its role as a center for international exchanges.

(Reporters: Dong Cheng and Zhang Jinghua; correspondent: Zou Yunjie)