Shunyi District is in the northeast of Beijing, covering a total area of 1,021 square kilometers. It administers 19 administrative towns and six sub-district offices. In 2024, Shunyi's GDP reached 238.83 billion yuan, with a permanent population of 1.326 million.

Shunyi District is 30 kilometers from the downtown, adjacent to the Beijing Municipal Administrative Center (BMC), and is home to the Beijing Capital International Airport. According to Beijing's new master plan, Shunyi is designated as one of the key elements in Beijing's spatial planning ("the core zone, the central area and the BMC; two axes, multiple new towns and an eco-zone"). It is also the seat of the Beijing Capital International Airport, a major new town in the flatlands for the capital, and an important reception area for suitable industries relocated from the urban core. Shunyi is building itself into "an international aviation core area integrating airport and city functions, a pioneering zone for regional economic upgrading driven by innovation, and a harmonious and livable demonstration zone coordinating urban and rural development for the capital".