Dongcheng at a Glance

As Beijing's core functional zone, Dongcheng District serves as the central hub for national politics, culture, and international engagement. It plays a vital role in preserving the capital's historic and cultural legacy, and represents a defining part of the city's image. Covering an area of 41.84 km2, Dongcheng is home to 701,000 permanent residents. In 2024, the district reported a regional GDP of RMB 380.87 billion, with RMB 28.19 billion in fixed asset investment and consistently led Beijing in total retail sales of consumer goods.

Dongcheng boasts a dense concentration of administrative institutions, hosting over 40 central government agencies at or above the deputy-ministerial level and 14 headquarters of central SOEs. With deep cultural roots, more than a quarter of the district is protected as historic and cultural zones. It also houses four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Yuhe River section of the Grand Canal, and the Beijing Central Axis.

The district features a vibrant commercial scene. Its three major business areas — Wangfujing, Qianmen, and Longfusi — each boast more than a hundred years of history. With economic density on par with the core districts of major cities in developed countries, Dongcheng consistently ranks among the top in China for GDP per capita and output per unit of land.

Investment Services

Beijing Dongcheng District Investment Promotion Service Center

Tel: +86-10-87160650 

Email: tzcjzx_tzzxb@bjdch.gov.cn 

Regional Highlights

Strategic Location

Rooted in its rich cultural legacy, Dongcheng is driven by a robust financial industry, with the digital economy as a key driving force and headquarters economy as the dominant business model. The district is strengthening the role of business and trade services as a key catalyst, while actively developing a health industry cluster across several strategic sectors. Through cultural revitalization, consolidation of its financial foundation, development of new quality productive forces, and continuous upgrades to its headquarters economy, Dongcheng is steadily evolving into a magnet for leading industries.

History & Culture

Dongcheng District is steeped in history and rich in cultural heritage. It hosts all UNESCO World Heritage Sites within the ancient Beijing city area, including the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Yuhe River section of the Grand Canal. In 2024, the Beijing Central Axis was added to the World Heritage List. Stretching 7.8 km from Yongdingmen Gate to the Bell and Drum Towers, it features 15 sites — 12 of which are located in Dongcheng. The district also preserves 377 immovable cultural relics, including 53 protected at the national level.

Educational Resources

Dongcheng offers outstanding educational resources, with 90.9% coverage of inclusive kindergartens and universal access to top-tier compulsory education. It is home to several prestigious schools: Fuxue Hutong Primary School, with a history of over 600 years; Jingshan School, the birthplace of China's “Three Orientations” educational reform; Beijing No. 2 High School, nearly 400 years old; Beijing Huiwen High School, founded over 150 years ago; and Guangqumen High School, where the national Hongzhi Class to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds began.

Healthcare Services

Dongcheng is home to 510 healthcare institutions, including renowned tertiary hospitals such as Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Beijing Hospital. With an average life expectancy of 84.31 years, the district ranks among the top performers in Beijing for overall healthcare development.

Business Environment

Dongcheng has 37 service institutions dedicated to supporting 550 businesses, and has established a platform to facilitate open dialogue and cooperation between government and enterprises. Its market-oriented, law-based, and internationally competitive business environment has consistently ranked among the best in the city. 

Industrial System

Rooted in rich cultural heritage, Dongcheng is building an open, integrated, and innovation-driven modern industrial system with strong brand recognition — powered by finance and driven by the digital economy.

Cultural Powerhouse

Dongcheng is home to a thriving cultural industry valued at nearly RMB 150 billion, with four enterprises recognized as national demonstration bases for cultural industry and three ranked among the Top 30 Cultural Enterprises in China. As one of the first National Cultural and Financial Cooperation Demonstration Zones, the district boasts 18 cultural industrial parks recognized at the municipal level, and leads the city in cultural revenue generated per unit of land.

Finance

The financial industry is the cornerstone of Dongcheng's economy, hosting nearly 1,000 financial institutions that contribute over RMB 100 billion in added value. The industry accounts for close to 30% of the district's GDP and delivers 13% of Beijing's total financial revenue, firmly establishing its leading position in the district's economic development.

Digital Economy

The digital economy is rapidly emerging as a key driver of growth in Dongcheng. In 2024, the district's core digital industries generated more than RMB 300 billion in revenue, welcoming 93 newly established specialized, refined, distinctive and innovative SMEs and 3 “Little Giant” enterprises. Four companies, including China Telecom's State Cloud, were also selected as Beijing Benchmark Enterprises in Digital Economy.

Notable milestones include the launch of proprietary AI large language models by Kunlun Tech and the COL Group, while Mogo.ai rose as a new unicorn. State-owned digital platforms such as State Grid Digital Technology Holding and China Energy's Digital Intelligence Technology Company have established operations in the district, while spatio-temporal technology unicorn company Qianxun SI and listed industrial automation company Inovance Technology have set up their northern China headquarters here.

Headquarters Economy

Dongcheng's development is strongly anchored in its headquarters economy. As of 2024, the district housed 378 corporate headquarters, including Tier-1 SOE headquarters, 15 regional headquarters of multinational companies, and nearly 40 listed firms. 

Software and Information Services

Dongcheng is home to 194 major players in the software and information services industry, employing approximately 50,000 people. The industry maintained steady growth in 2024, reporting RMB 123.35 billion in total revenue — up 4.9% year-on-year — and contributing 13.5% to the district's GDP. It also recorded the district's highest level of capital investment, with RMB 17.72 billion in fixed-asset investments, representing a 21.5% year-on-year increase and ranking second citywide, making it a major engine of Dongcheng's economic growth.

Sci-Tech Services

The sci-tech services industry has demonstrated steady and positive growth in recent years. From 2019 to 2023, the industry's value added rose from RMB 28.7 billion to RMB 38.8 billion, accounting for approximately 10% of the district's GDP. In 2024, with over 150 large-scale enterprises, the industry reported RMB 48 billion in operating revenue, solidifying its role as a crucial driver of the district's sustainable economic growth.

Industrial Parks & Innovation Zones

Hangxing Science Park

Gehua Cultural Industry Park

“DOBE WE” International Hub (Tiantan)

Beijing Lumicang New Audio-Visual Industrial Park

“Hongqiao Intelligence” Cultural & Creative Space

Beijing Xuelian Liangdian Dongsi Creative Park

77 Cultural and Creative Park

BDK No. 107 Park

Dongcheng Cultural Talents (International) Pioneer Park

Dongyong Entrepreneurship Valley

Damofang Cultural and Creative Industrial Park

Jiacheng Hutong Creative Workshop

Jinyu Longshuncheng Culture and Creative Industry Park

Liangdian Cultural and Creative Park

Longfu Temple

Qianmen Shuxiang Shiye Cultural Theme Park

People's Arts and Culture Park

Tianding 218 Cultural and Financial Park

Xinqiwang 608 Cultural and Creative Park

Yongyuan Cultural and Creative Park

Ziyuan Park