Beijing International Exhibition Center expands to further boost capital's development, opening-up

In addition, an elevated highway will be built this year, and an exit will be set up in the new exhibition center area to further relieve traffic pressure. The highway will provide fast access between downtown Beijing and the new exhibition center.

"My family likes to go to the new exhibition center in Shunyi to watch some shows, especially automobile shows. Besides the ample space in the venue, there are also many catering choices," said a Beijing resident surnamed Zhang.

"The most important thing is that the transportation system in the region is quite convenient for either self-driving or taking the subway. It has been an enjoyable experience to see many new styles of cars at an exhibition near my home," Zhang said.

Besides exhibition and conference venues, the region's unique geographical location and industrial structure have helped attract various consumer groups and it boasts significant potential for high-end consumption, which will contribute to the building of Beijing as an international consumption center.

In July 2021, the State Council approved Beijing and four other cities to take the lead in building international consumption centers. So far, Beijing has 57 Fortune 500 companies, which tops the list nationwide. The city is also home to the headquarters of 201 multinational corporations. The number of tax refund offices in Beijing has exceeded 800, ranking first in the country.

The region of the new exhibition center can provide consumption services to more than 1.3 million residents in Shunyi, especially high-end consumer groups and foreign residents who live in the villas near the center. The region can also provide services to about 5 million people who live in Chaoyang, Tongzhou, Changping and Huairou districts, the management committee said.

With only the first-phase venue available at the moment, the holding of exhibitions brings nearly 2 million visitors to the region annually. After the opening of the second-phase venue, it is expected to attract more than 6.1 million visitors annually.

With approval for building an airport economic zone near the Beijing Capital International Airport in February, the airport economy in Shunyi district has opened a new chapter, and the economic zone will focus on developing sectors such as air cargo, cross-border trade, business exhibitions, scientific and technological innovations and industrial finance. The economic zone will build itself into a new highland of opening-up and consolidate its leading position in the nation.

zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn