In the three-year journey of establishing itself into an International Center for Consumption, Beijing has made remarkable progress in various fields. The city now leads the nation in multiple key indicators, including urban competitiveness, the number of Fortune Global 500 enterprises, added value of the service industry, the count of departure tax refund shops, and the quantity of cities accessible via direct international and domestic flights.
In 2022, Beijing defined the overall spatial layout as "4+29+84+N", which includes four international consumption experience zones, 29 urban consumption centers, 84 regional dynamic consumption circles, and numerous community-based convenient living circles. Currently, the development plans for two of these zones, CBD plus Sanlitun and Lize plus Beijing Business New Zone, have been completed. Since 2021, Beijing has expanded its new commercial space by over four million square meters, meeting the diverse needs of consumers across its different districts.
The city now boasts 259 Beijing time-honored brands and 137 China time-honored brands, with 25 new additions in the latter. "Beijing Gifts" has introduced over 200 varieties (or series). Additionally, Beijing has recognized 26 regional headquarters of multinational companies in the consumer sector, including Galeries Lafayette and Starbucks, which account for 42 percent of the newly accredited regional headquarters for multinational corporations in the city. From 2019 till now, over 3,700 first stores have opened in Beijing.
Beijing has created 11 digital dinning districts, including HUAXI LIVE·Wukesong, and 26 "Midnight Diner" specialty culinary districts such as SOLANA. In 2024, the city is home to 38 restaurants listed in the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide and 33 in the Michelin Guide.
Beijing's fashion consumption continues to rise, marked by the establishment of 12 world premiere centers, including Taikoo Li Sanlitun. The influence of events like China Fashion Week and the Beijing International Film Festival keeps growing. In terms of promoting eco-friendly consumption, a series of policies have collectively propelled sales of green products, such as new energy vehicles and energy-saving home appliances, to nearly CNY 20 billion.
(Source: Beijing Youth Daily)
