On August 30, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology organized a symposium centering around the publicity, implementation, and coordination of a development strategy for Beijing's digital economy that leverages the unique features of each district. The symposium reviewed the progress of digital economy development in all districts during the first half of the year, shared practices, and outlined work priorities for the upcoming phase.

The symposium reinforced the development strategy that each district should have its unique features in the context of Beijing's digital economy development. It clarified individual development paths for each district based on its resource advantages and leading industries in the digital economy. Representatives from each district reported on the completion of their targets for the value added of the digital economy during the first half of the year, including the efforts to promote new forms of AI business and build Beijing into a global benchmark city for the digital economy. They also discussed the advancement of key tasks in the digital economy and outlined existing challenges and plans for future work.

After listening to the reports of all districts, Tang Jianguo, Chief Economist of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, remarked that Beijing's digital economy achieved a growth rate of 7.8 percent in the first half of 2024 and all districts made notable achievements in developing the digital economy. At the same time, he noted some problems in digital economy development, such as the growth rate of the value added of the digital economy failing to meet the set target and the scale of key industries waiting to be grown. For future work, he emphasized the following.

First, strengthening collaboration.

This includes adjusting the industrial structure, promoting the coordinated growth of regional digital industrialization and industrial digitalization, and defining the core directions, key technologies, and brand characteristics of the digital economy development within the framework that highlights the unique features of each district. The focus will be on creating AI-centered new business models and accelerating Beijing's development into a global benchmark city for the digital economy.

Second, staying to strategies and priorities.

Each district must rigorously implement the municipal strategic tasks aimed at establishing Beijing as a global benchmark city for the digital economy. This includes advancing the three-year action plan for the digital economy while following the development strategy that highlights the unique features of each district. Each district shall make the most of the digital economy and leverage its unique characteristics and strengths to enhance the resilience of core industries in the digital economy.

Third, ensuring effective communication.

The Global Digital Economy Conference and media outlets like Xinhuanet, BRTV, and CCTV are all platforms that can be utilized to communicate to the public Beijing's key events and efforts to grow the digital economy.

(Source: Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology)