Beijing leads the nation in high-quality development, driven by economic growth, technological innovation and governance improvements, according to the Blue Book of Beijing's High-Quality Development released Nov. 28 by the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology and the Social Sciences Academic Press.

The capital's total score increased to 0.86 in 2024 from 0.71 in 2017, representing a 21.13% increase with an annual growth rate of 3.25%.

The seventh Beijing High-quality Development Seminar and release of the Blue Book of Beijing's High-Quality Development is held in Beijing, China, Nov. 28, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology]

Advanced economic factors form the foundation of Beijing's high-quality development, said Jia Pinrong, executive editor of the blue book and director of the High-Quality Development Research Center at the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology.

The city is transitioning from quantity expansion to quality improvement in its labor force, with labor productivity reaching 444,000 yuan ($63,000) per person in 2024, topping all provincial-level regions.

Technological innovation is also crucial to the city's development. Beijing is ramping up its investment in research and development, with an expenditure intensity of 6.58% in 2024, maintaining the top position nationwide.

Jia said institutional reform remained important, noting that over 50 pioneering policies in the Zhongguancun National Demonstration Zone have been fully implemented, bolstering Beijing's role as an international technology innovation center.

Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), Jia highlighted that new quality productive forces will underpin Beijing's high-quality development. Technological innovation will drive progress while institutional reform provides support, he said, adding that multilateral international cooperation would be vital for success.

The blue book marks the fifth publication in the series, reflecting the achievements and policies of high-quality development in Beijing for 2024. The "Report on Beijing's New Quality Productive Forces (2025)" and the first "Report on Beijing's Patient Capital Development (2025)" were also released at the event.