By Wang Chao
In the global spotlight, Beijing is under intense scrutiny as it endeavors to crack the code of comprehensive reform. The Chinese capital, often the epicenter of national policy and innovation, faces the daunting task of translating its vision of achieving socialist modernization into tangible reality. The recent convening of the Fifth Session of the Thirteenth CPC Committee of Beijing Municipality has laid out a systematic blueprint for reform, setting the stage for a new era of development.
Systemic Reform: A Responsibility of the First Order
Beijing, as the nation’s political, cultural, international exchange, and technological innovation hub, has consistently led the national economic forefront. According to Ye Tanglin, Executive Dean of the Institute of Economic and Social Development of Mega-Cities at the Capital University of Economics and Business, Beijing has been progressively bolstering its reform momentum, adding impetus to economic growth and achieving new breakthroughs in high-quality development.
The theme of the recent session, Further Comprehensive Deepening of Reform, focused extensively on the refinement and optimization of institutional mechanisms. The agenda included the enhancement of the capital’s functional mechanisms, the acceleration of a high-level socialist market economy, the improvement of mechanisms for high-quality economic development, and the integration of education, science, technology, and talent mechanisms.
Ye Tanglin told the China News Service that Beijing’s proposed reform tasks emphasize a more integrated approach, prioritizing key areas, and achieving tangible results. This approach, he said, not only addresses immediate concerns but also looks to the future, reflecting Beijing’s high standards and sense of responsibility as the capital city.
Innovation and Development: The Dual Engine of Progress
From the perspectives of institutional and technological innovation, Ye Tanglin believes that a high-quality institutional environment is fundamental to economic development, while technological innovation addresses critical bottlenecks in core technologies, seize development opportunities, and drives high-quality growth in the capital.
Liu Chunsheng, Associate Professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that technological innovation is the core element of new-quality productivity, essential for driving Beijing’s high-quality development. Strengthening the capacity for technological innovation to create new economic growth points will benefit the upgrading of traditional industries and enhance the city’s economic vitality, he said.
Liu Ye, a scholar at the School of Business Administration at the Capital University of Economics and Business, agreed, highlighting the importance of cultivating and attracting high-end innovative talent. Beijing’s continued integration of education, science, technology, and talent reforms aims to lead innovation with technology, especially in ensuring and improving people’s livelihoods, reflecting the temperature of people’s livelihoods in policy-making and execution.
Reform and Opening Up: Aiming for Global Competitiveness
Reform requires a resolute break from outdated institutional barriers, fostering an environment that is open to change. Observers have noted that over the past seven years, Beijing has implemented more than 1,500 measures to reform the business environment, continuously constructing a market-oriented, rule-of-law-based, convenient, and international business climate.
Ye Tanglin commented that the business environment has become a robust support for Beijing’s high-quality development. As one of the sample cities in the World Bank’s assessment of China’s business environment, Beijing’s reform measures have yielded significant results. The next step, he said, is to continue optimizing the business environment to serve the four centers construction and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei协同发展战略 (coordinated development strategy), radiating and driving Tianjin and Hebei to create an efficient and coordinated first-class business environment, achieving complementary advantages within the region.
Conclusion
As Beijing navigates the complexities of reform under the microscopic gaze of the international community, the city is setting the stage for a new chapter of development. The comprehensive and systematic approach to reform, focusing on both institutional and technological innovation, promises not only to drive economic growth but also to enhance the city’s global competitiveness. The journey ahead is challenging, but the potential rewards for Beijing and the nation are immense.
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