Beijing has made major strides in technological innovation, intellectual property protection, healthcare services, and drug regulation over the past five years under the "two zones" initiative, city officials said at a press conference on Thursday.

The "two zones" initiative refers to Beijing's initiative for building the pilot free trade zone and the national comprehensive demonstration zone aimed at further opening up the service sector. The initiative has positioned the capital city as a major force in the global innovation network.

In the field of science and technology, Beijing has pursued a dual strategy of technological and institutional innovation. The number of invention patents per 10,000 people reached 262.9 in 2024, up 20.4% year on year – the fastest growth rate in five years. Annual technology contract transactions totaled 915.3 billion yuan (US$127.3 billion), the highest in the country. Beijing is also home to 115 unicorn companies, the most nationwide, and the total revenue of enterprises in the Zhongguancun Science Park reached 8.74 trillion yuan, ranking first among 178 high-tech zones in China.

Zhongguancun has accelerated its transformation into a world-leading tech park, with 24 major reform measures fully implemented. A national pilot program introduced a "report-and-approve" mechanism for high-tech enterprise certification, reducing time needed for the approval process by more than 80%. More than 500 companies have benefited from the simplified procedures. The city has also introduced 16 new policies to support foreign R&D centers, with 221 such centers now operating in Beijing – growing both in number and capacity.

In healthcare, Beijing has rolled out a series of pioneering reforms to support innovation in drug and medical device regulation. Over the past five years, the city has facilitated the approval of 17 innovative drugs and 54 Category III medical devices, including China’s first drug for stem cell therapy, putting it at the forefront of national drug innovation. In 2024, Beijing established a green channel for the import of urgently needed clinical drugs and devices, in coordination with health and customs authorities. 

In intellectual property, the city was approved for several national-level pilot programs, including those for opening up patent agency services, and integrated IP financial ecosystems. As of the end of 2024, Beijing had over 9,000 intellectual property service institutions – the highest number in the country.