Recently, at the Beijing International Science and Technology Innovation Center On-Site Promotion Conference held in Beijing, it was revealed that the city has made remarkable progress over the past decade, achieving six “leaps in innovation” and five “world-leading” accomplishments. This progress has transformed Beijing from a national hub of scientific and technological innovation into a significant global innovation hub.
According to Yu Yingjie, a member of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Education Work Committee, Beijing’s main indicators of scientific and technological innovation have seen significant leaps compared to 2014. Specifically, the number of invention patents per 10,000 people has increased more than fourfold, from 48.2 to 262.9. The annual contract volume of technology transactions has more than doubled, rising from 313.6 billion yuan to 853.69 billion yuan. Additionally, the number of national high-tech enterprises has more than doubled, from 10,400 to 28,300, and the number of new technology companies established daily has increased more than twofold, from 146 to 337. The total revenue of companies in the Zhongguancun model area has more than doubled, from 3.6 trillion yuan to 8.6 trillion yuan, and the added value of high-tech industries has also more than doubled, from 473.85 billion yuan to 1.18591 trillion yuan.
Furthermore, Beijing’s technological innovation is highly regarded globally. According to the “Nature Index – Science Research Cities” report published by Springer Nature, Beijing has maintained the top position worldwide for several consecutive years. The 2023 list of Highly Cited Researchers published by Clarivate Analytics ranks Beijing first among global innovation cities for the number of highly cited researchers. Additionally, the “International Science and Technology Innovation Center Index” report, published by Springer Nature and Tsinghua University, has ranked Beijing third in the world for two consecutive years.
Moreover, Beijing has consistently ranked high in the “Top 100 Science and Technology Innovation Clusters” report published by the World Intellectual Property Organization. The city’s overall R&D investment intensity (R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP) has reached 6.83%, placing it among the top famous innovation cities globally.
The leaps in technological innovation in Beijing have solidified its status as a global innovation hub, with expectations for more inventions and technological advancements in the future. We will continue to closely observe the strategies behind patents and intellectual property that underpin this rapid growth.
