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Northern China
Beijing
北京Government, policy, and the country's deepest research talent.
If your business touches policy, regulation, or licenses — energy, healthcare, AI safety, media, education — you need a Beijing presence. Tsinghua and Peking University anchor a research talent pool unrivalled anywhere in Asia. Slower commercial pace than Shanghai or Shenzhen.
Population
21.9 million
GDP
$640B (2024)
Region
Northern China
Best for
- Govtech & policy-adjacent business
- AI research & foundation models
- Media & education
- State-owned enterprise sales
Core industries
- AI & researchBaidu, Zhipu, MiniMax — most foundation-model labs are here.
- InternetByteDance, Meituan, Xiaomi all HQ here.
- EducationLargest concentration of edtech and tutoring infrastructure.
Neighborhoods
Where to actually set up.
Zhongguancun (Haidian)
China's Silicon Valley; Tsinghua and PKU adjacent.
CBD / Guomao
Foreign company HQs, embassies, hotels.
Wangjing
Korean-Chinese tech corridor; Alibaba's Beijing base.
Ground tips
Things you only learn the hard way.
- 01Air quality has improved enormously since 2015 but still consider it in lifestyle planning.
- 02Government-relations meetings happen mid-week, mid-day. Avoid Mondays and Fridays.
- 03Engineering talent skews more academic / research-oriented than Shenzhen.
Need eyes on a Beijing office, factory, or contact?
We can be there within 48 hours with photos, video, and a written English report.
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