The “Metaverse Building” in the South Central Axis International Culture and Technology Park was recently unveiled, and a symposium on the theme of “Chinese Culture Metaverse” was held to foster joint construction and sharing discussion.(data image)

The 2nd China Commercial Aerospace Development Conference (data image).

Aircraft exhibits at the First Session of Low-altitude Economy Innovation Leadership Conference (data image)

The reporter visits the INSIGHTS VALUE digital screen, which is monitoring the air quality index of Fengtai District in real-time. Photo by JIANG Hao.

Unmanned vessel exhibits at the First Session of Low-altitude Economy Innovation Leadership Conference (data image)

A corner of Lize Financial Business District. Photo by YUAN Zifeng.

Guests participating in an aircraft at the First Session of Low-altitude Economy Innovation Leadership Conference. Photo by XUE Jiayin.

Staff at Traffic Control Technology show a virtual train driving system. Photo by ZHAO Ziqian.

Guests visiting the exhibition of drones at the First Session of Low-altitude Economy Innovation Leadership Conference (data image)

The reporter conducts a site visit and product test of the autonomous, virtual, linked, intelligent train at Traffic Control Technology. Photo by ZHAO Ziqian. 

●In the first half of 2024, Fengtai District had 502 legal person enterprises above designated size in the core industries of the digital economy, an increase of 81 compared to the end of 2023. The core industries achieved digital revenue of RMB 59.41 billion, representing a year-on-year growth of 9.9%.

●Three enterprises in Fengtai District have been recognized as municipal benchmark enterprises in the digital economy, two of which have also been described as global benchmark enterprises in the digital economy.

●The Lize Financial Business District has successfully attracted 445 emerging financial enterprises and 355 high-tech enterprises focusing on key areas such as e-CNY, digital supervision, and digital assets.

Beijing is currently accelerating the construction of a benchmark city for the global digital economy. Fengtai District is fully implementing the city’s “one district, one brand” work plan for a digital economy supported by digital infrastructure and focused on digital industrialization and industrial digitalization. It actively cultivates featured digital economy industries, builds a benchmark system for the digital economy and optimizes the ecological development of the digital economy to promote the in-depth integration of digital technology and the real economy. In the first half of 2024, the core digital economy industries in the district saw a net increase of 81 legal person enterprises above designated size, bringing the total to 502. The core industries achieved digital revenue of RMB 59.41 billion, representing a 9.9% year-on-year growth. Three enterprises in Fengtai District have been recognized as municipal digital economy benchmark enterprises, and two of them have been chosen as global digital economy benchmark enterprises.

Coordinated Efforts Drive Quality Improvement in Digital Economy

Fengtai District has established a dedicated class for the advancement of the digital economy. The district has developed and released the Three-Year Action Plan for the Innovative Development of the Digital Economy in Fengtai District of Beijing (2021–2023), created the Three-Year Action Plan for the Quality Development of the Digital Economy in Fengtai District (2024–2026), and outlined the annual work focus. The district has fully implemented the “1511” industrial development and quality improvement project, setting Fengtai Innovation Joint Fund of the Beijing Natural Science Foundation to facilitate the growth of new productive forces in a multidimensional and comprehensive manner. Breakthroughs have been made in industrial technology R&D, and large-scale development of industrial technologies such as aerospace information, intelligent rail transit, and digital finance. Emerging industries and future industries such as the low-altitude economy, commercial cryptography, and data elements have achieved innovative development, fostering the emergence of a number of new businesses and models.

Distinctive Advantage Industries Excel in Digital and Intelligent Development

Fengtai District has identified industrial digital intelligence as its “one industry”, with the goal of enhancing the leading quality and competitiveness of its advantageous industries in fields like rail transit and aerospace information, and strived to form the “one brand” of digital economy.

The rail transit industry is undergoing a rapid and intelligent transformation. Fengtai has attracted 165 key rail transit enterprises, including China Railway, China Railway Signal & Communication Corp., and Traffic Control Technology. Fengtai boasts 26 national and provincial-level innovation platforms, including the China Railway Signal & Communication Corporation National Engineering Research Center for Rail Transit Operation and Control System and the National Enterprise Technology Center of China Railway Electrification Bureau, which span the entire industry chain of rail transit planning and design, engineering construction, equipment research and development, and operation and maintenance management. Fengtai has made significant research and development achievements in smart equipment, including CRRC’s hybrid locomotive with high-power hydrogen fuel cell and the low-capacity light maglev tram of Beijing Rail Transit Technology Equipment Group, and developed cutting-edge platforms, including the rail transit cloud integrated management platform of BII Transportation Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and the real-time edge cloud platform of Tengda Taiyuan. In a strategic collaboration with Beijing Jiaotong University, Fengtai District is establishing an “innovative base for rail transit” to accelerate the technological advancement and commercialization of intelligent construction in rail transit.

The aerospace information industry has established a new growth area. The entire district has attracted over 140 aerospace research institutes and enterprises, including leading aerospace information companies such as Space Pioneer, DIIT, and China Satellite Navigation Research Institute. Fengtai has also achieved notable success in commercial launches, satellite navigation, and remote sensing data applications, among which Space Pioneer Tianlong-2 rocket was successfully launched, and INSIGHTS VALUE created a range of digital service solutions for urban atmospheric environment, water environment, comprehensive ecology-based on Earth big data. Fengtai District has established the ZGC Commercial Aerospace Alliance and has held two ZGC Commercial Aerospace Conferences, as well as Aerospace Carnival and Aerospace Technology Innovation and Application Competition, intending to create well-known communication brands at home and abroad and lead industry development. The Satellite Internet Industrial Park has officially opened, with the release of the Work Plan for the Construction of the Satellite Internet Industrial Park in Fengtai District. Fengtai District is actively promoting the satellite internet industry and accelerating the growth of commercial aerospace.

The digital financial area is rapidly evolving. Fengtai district has established a Digital Financial Technology Demonstration Park, with emerging finance as a key driver of regional growth, and actively fostered the convergence of financial technology platforms and enterprises. It has successfully hosted the China (Beijing) Digital Finance Forum for three consecutive years.

Lize Financial Business District has successfully attracted 445 emerging financial enterprises and 355 technology enterprises to key areas such as e-CNY, digital supervision, and digital assets. These include a number of leading enterprises, such as the People’s Bank of China Digital Currency Institute, the National Technical Testing Center for Digital Finance, China Insurance, Galaxy Securities, the Rural Credit Bank’s Clearing Center, and CCB Fintech, creating an ideal environment for integrated development of “digital + finance”. Fengtai District is actively developing new digital financial solutions and has become the first district in the city to implement a comprehensive e-CNY salary distribution system managed by the district finance department. The launch of the “Lize e-CNY” mini program to promote preferential consumption activities using e-CNY. The program is a national leader in this area, with over 6,000 e-CNY application scenarios already in place, the city’s first public trial of e-CNY application scenarios, the country’s inaugural collection of non-tax revenue through digital wallets, the city’s inaugural e-CNY insurance policy, and the city’s first disclosure of government information by e-CNY application scenarios. Besides, Fengtai District is actively promoting financial technology innovation around e-CNY in collaboration with key financial institutions such as the Rural Credit Banks, Funds Clearing Center, and Galaxy Securities. It is committed to driving further success in the e-CNY field and is dedicated to transforming Lize into a new growth engine for high-quality development in the capital in the new era.

Notable Successes in Developing Emerging Industries like Low-Altitude Economy and Commercial Cryptography

Fengtai District is at the forefront of industrial digital intelligence, capitalizing on emerging opportunities in the low-altitude economy and data industries. It continuously enhances the quality of commercial encryption to foster the long-term competitiveness of the digital economy.

Fengtai District is actively pursuing the development of a low-altitude economic industry. It has joined forces with 20 organizations, including Beihang University, Beijing Institute of Technology, and China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, to establish the Beijing Low-Altitude Economic Industry Alliance and launch the Low-Altitude Economy Industrial Park. The Low-Altitude Economy Innovation Leadership Conference was inaugurated and the Guidance on Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Low-Altitude Economy Industry (2024–2026) was also released. Besides, the Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Safety Assurance Technology for Low-Altitude Airspace in Fengtai District was officially inaugurated, and the List of Requirements for Low-Altitude Economy Application Scenarios was released. Fengtai District will initially open 100,000 square meters of low-altitude economic industrial space in Phase III of East Fengtai Science Park, which has already engaged with over 30 enterprises in the low-altitude economy. Concurrently, Fengtai District is expediting the planning and construction of a 2 million square meter low-altitude economic industrial park, comprising a 1 million square meter research and development base and a 1 million square meter manufacturing base.

Fengtai District is pursuing a strategy of consolidating and expanding the commercial encryption industry. The commercial encryption industry in the district is gaining a reputation for offering distinctive advantages, attracting service providers and leading enterprises like the State Cryptography Administration, CQCCA, SINOINFOSEC, and ZHYU TECHNOLOGIES. This has led to the formation of an industrial ecology in Fengtai District, with the collaborative development of “production, learning, research, application and testing” in the commercial encryption industry. The Fengtai District Commercial Cryptography Technology and Application Innovation Center was officially awarded a license by the Beijing Commercial Cryptography Industry Association. The first commercial cryptographic industry cluster in Fengtai District was recognized by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology as the “2024 Beijing SME Characteristic Industry Cluster”. Fengtai District successfully hosted the China Internet Development Innovation and Investment Competition and Commercial Cryptographic Innovation and Application Competition, promoting the landing of enterprises in Fengtai through competition. The Commercial Cryptography Fusion Innovation and Development Forum of 2024 World Digital Economy Conference was held in Fengtai, and the Three-Year Action Plan for Commercial Cryptography Industry Development in Fengtai District was also released.

Fengtai District is actively pursuing the development of the data element market. Fengtai District is implementing a data infrastructure system to facilitate the release of data elements and promote vitality. In early 2024, Fengtai District government released the Plan for the Implementation of the Chief Data Officer System in Fengtai District and the Measures for the Chief Data Officer, which was followed in May by the Plan for the Implementation of Accelerating the Role of Data Elements in Promoting the Development of the Digital Economy in Fengtai District and Certain Measures for Accelerating the Development of the Data Element Market in Fengtai District. Fengtai District played a pivotal role in organizing the Beijing Division of the 2024 “Data Elements x” Competition, which featured green low-carbon, financial services, industrial manufacture, and commerce and trade circulation. Fourteen enterprises, including INSIGHTS VALUE and ZHI-TECH GROUP, advanced to the finals. Fengtai District successfully nominated two enterprises, Ba Yue Gua and Jiangtong Technology, to become in the city’s top 100 data element cases, and successfully host the 2024 World Digital Economy Conference Data Elements and New Quality Productivity Forum. Fengtai District has experienced a significant increase in data circulation and trading activity. The National Data Asset Registration Service Platform, developed by YouEData, has been launched and offers a range of services, including data asset registration and evaluation. A total of 81 remote sensing data products from DIIT have been listed on the Beijing International Big Data Exchange, with a further 75 remote sensing data products listed on the Shanghai Data Exchange. Ba Yue Gua and DIIT are the first two companies to accomplish data assets registration, with a total value of RMB 100 million in intellectual property and satellite remote sensing data assets. Besides, Fengtai District has encouraged the Green Garden Group to establish the city’s first innovation laboratory for data assets of flowers and seedlings and has completed the first registration of data assets in the domestic flower industry.

Accelerating the Internationalization of Digital Economy Development

Fengtai District proactively leverages the district’s competitive advantages in spatial resources, transportation location, digital infrastructure, digital finance, and other key areas. It has applied to establish a “Digital Silk Road” economic cooperation pilot zone and actively promoted the implementation of international digital economy cooperation projects. CRSC has formed collaborative partnerships with over 20 regions across the globe, including the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and beyond, in the development of train control systems. Traffic Control Technology has established alliances with Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, South America, the Middle East, and North Africa, with a focus on the research and development of rail transit signaling systems, the creation of essential equipment, system integration, and technical services related to signaling systems. Through the Construction Industry Internet Platform, Sepu Technology has facilitated collaboration with Tajikistan, Belarus, and the United States on steel structure prefabrication projects. TDD supplies new materials to over 10 countries via the Industrial Internet Platform. Fengtai District has expanded the digital economy application scenarios of the Belt and Road countries to the broader market, drawing in domestic digital economy enterprises to establish pilot zones, particularly those from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, to facilitate the coordinated growth of the digital economy in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Continued Optimization of the Digital Economy Ecosystem

The digital infrastructure is undergoing further consolidation. The construction of 5G base stations has yielded impressive results. By the end of 2023, a total of 4,321 outdoor 5G base stations had been constructed, ranking third in the city. Fengtai District has been consistently advancing the development of its computing infrastructure, with a particular focus on the 2300P Qixingyuan Computing Power Center and accelerating the expansion of the autonomous driving 4.0 demonstration area to set up a district-level autonomous driving task force. This aligns with the deployment of the expansion of phase 4.0 of the Beijing high-level autonomous driving demonstration area, accelerating the construction of the expanded area.

The industrial carrier of the digital economy is undergoing continuous improvement. Fengtai District has essentially established a digital economic development model comprising one central core of digital intelligence, two innovation zones, and a comprehensive city-wide strategy to empower and upgrade. Zhongguancun Fengtai Science Park is the core area for the digital economy in the district, with growing capacity for agglomeration of digital economy industries. Beijing Yuanbo Digital Economy Industrial Park is the city’s first agglomeration space led by the digital economy industry, and the Innovation Center project is also listed as one of Beijing’s “Three 100” key projects. Lize Financial Business District is an emerging financial industry cluster, a pilot zone for financial reform in the capital, and a pilot zone for legal digital currency in Beijing of establishing an ecosystem for digital currency technology and applications. The South Central Axis Capital Business New District is focused on the cultivation and expansion of subdivisions of the metaverse, including digital humans, digital content, intelligent interactive devices, and the underlying technology platforms. The South Central Axis International Culture and Technology Park has established the city’s inaugural metaverse industry base, the “South Central Axis Metaverse Industry Base”. By the end of June, over 220 companies had established a presence, marking the emergence of a new industrial cluster integrating cutting-edge information technology and the metaverse.

The digital talent cultivation system is undergoing accelerated and improved development. The National Innovation Base for Data Talents has established a presence in the Fengtai District to establish a national-level demonstration base for the exchange and cultivation of data talent innovation and support the growth and innovation of data element enterprises and the cultivation of talent. Fengtai District has established two industry-focused alliances: “Beijing Digital Cultural Industry-Education Alliance” and “Beijing Intelligent Equipment Industry-Education Alliance”. These alliances are designed to cultivate vocational talent with education skills and technology in key industrial fields, including digital cultural creativity, intelligent equipment, and the industrial Internet. Fengtai District has initiated a series of initiatives, including the “Fengtai Talents Going Home” program, with the objective of establishing a comprehensive talent attraction and cultivation service system that spans the entire talent life cycle, from initial engagement to professional advancement. It will attract a larger pool of talent, contributing to the region’s economic growth.

The digital urban scenarios are accelerating development in the field of ecology. Fengtai District held an innovative press conference to present the list of urban scenario opportunities, which included the list of urban scenario opportunities, supply, and partner capabilities with 138 items of supply and demand information. The incubation space spans over 23,000 square meters and offers over 100 partner capability lists. Besides, Fengtai District has established a reputation for urban scenario branding and launched three signature initiatives including the “Into Series”, the “Bridge Series”, and the “Partner Sharing Sessions”. These facilitate discussion and exchange on topics such as enterprise digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and big data while fostering collaboration between enterprises.

Fengtai District will implement the unified deployment plan for the entire city for their next step. In light of the current development situation, key tasks will be promoted in a gradual manner, including industrial digitalization, digital industrialization, data value creation, and digital governance. Fengtai District will reinforce, enhance, and expand the scope of pivotal industrial clusters in the digital economy, endeavor to establish a number of exemplar enterprises, initiatives, and scenarios, and contribute to Beijing’s evolution into a global benchmark city for the digital economy.