Two Zones idea boosts Haidian's national profile

Beijing's Haidian district has completed more than 1,735 of the reform and innovation tasks related to its "Two Zones" initiatives, including 439 foreign-funded projects, a local district official told a recent news conference.

With a number of iconic achievements taking shape, including a digital economy experimental zone, a pilot zone for science and technology system reform and the global entrepreneurship and investment center, Haidian is promoting the replication of its success around the country, the official said.

In a bold move to boost the research and development of Zhongguancun's high-tech enterprises with an innovated bonded business system at its core, the Zhongguancun Comprehensive Bonded Zone was approved for establishment on May 23. As the first of its kind in China, it highlights innovation in business format access. Utilizing preferential policies related to bonded services, tax exemption and certificate exemption, the zone has attracted a diverse range of entities that can take advantage of exemption policies when importing machinery, equipment, molds and spare parts for production. It currently includes 60 planned projects and 53 reserved projects.

Hei Yu, deputy director of the Haidian district bureau of commerce, said that since construction of the Two Zones, the district has continuously optimized its business environment, expanded opening to the outside world and fully integrated into the global innovation economy.

So far, Haidian has formed 49 cases of institutional innovation related to the Two Zones, of which two have been replicated and promoted nationwide, while seven have been replicated and promoted citywide. From January to August, the district utilized $5.87 billion in foreign capital, accounting for 55 percent of the city's total.

Wang Chunsheng, head of the planning and development department of the Zhongguancun Science City Management Committee, said that in order to better support development of the grand model industry, the district will build the Zhongguancun AI Grand Model Industrial Cluster. Its core will be established in an area of about 9.5 square kilometers, ranging from Xueyuan Road in the east, Zhichun Road in the south, Wanquan River in the west, and Qinghua West Road and Qinghua East Road in the north, with four artificial intelligence industrial parks.

Wang said construction of the Two Zones injects new impetus into the development of high-end industries. By focusing on high-end fields such as big data, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and science and technology services, more than 200 major projects have been signed in the past three years. Currently, there are 9,764 national high-tech enterprises in the district, with 2,112 small and medium-sized enterprises classified as "specialized, refined, unique, and innovative" in Beijing, as well as 256 national-level "little giant" enterprises and 51 unicorn companies.

Construction of the "Two Zones" has also borne fruit in the financial field. The Zhongguancun Sci-Tech Innovation Financial Service Center, established in October 2022, has now settled in eight banks included in the regulatory sandbox pilot program and two financing guarantee companies, providing innovative businesses in merger and acquisition loans, stock option loans and technology talent loans.

Unveiled in 2020 to refer to the constitution and development of the Integrated National Demonstration Zone for Opening up the Services Sector and the China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the "Two Zones" policies continue to play a crucial role in the city's alignment with the new pattern of development, as well as the capital's reform and opening-up, according to officials.