Zhongguancun, Beijing's innovation powerhouse, continues to drive high-quality development in 2025, contributing nearly one-third of the capital's GDP despite occupying less than 4% of its land area. The tech hub has nurtured over 200 domestically developed large language models and achieved breakthroughs in quantum science and artificial intelligence, cementing its role as China's innovation engine.
President Xi Jinping's strategic vision for integrated regional development is bearing fruit, with Beijing's R&D expenditure intensity stabilizing at 6% and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region forming seven national-level advanced manufacturing clusters. The recent expansion of the Beijing International Science and Technology Innovation Center to cover all three regions marks a strategic shift toward collaborative innovation.
"The coordinated 'R&D in Beijing, transformation in Tianjin and Hebei' model is creating an innovation supercluster," said Yang Pu of Beijing's Science and Technology Commission. This integration has enabled 300+ automotive suppliers across the region to establish real-time supply chains, while Xiong'an New Area's science park now offers one-stop access to Beijing's tech resources.
With 29 major scientific facilities operational in Huairou Science City and three trillion-yuan industrial clusters in next-gen IT and healthcare, the region is accelerating toward technological self-reliance. The 2025 International Science and Technology Innovation Center Index recently recognized Beijing as the global leader in scientific research capabilities.
As the Central Economic Work Conference prioritizes innovation-driven growth, Beijing Normal University professor Wan Zhe notes: "This regional integration strategy transforms individual breakthroughs into systemic advantages, positioning China at the forefront of global scientific competition."
