Beijing, the Chinese capital, is the key political, cultural and economic center of China. Four ancient dynasties had built their capital here, leaving behind fascinating imperial palaces and large numbers of relics and scenic attractions. It has a population of 14,564,000.

Beijing reported a 10.5 percent growth in GDP in 2003, amounting to 361.19 billion yuan. Retail sales in the capital totaled 191.67 billion yuan in 2003, up 16.6 percent from 2002.The annual income of the urban residents came to 13,882.6 yuan, an 11.2 percent increase over the previous year, while the annual net income of the average farmer amounted to 6,496.3 yuan, an 11.5 percent increase.

Farmers in the city reaped a total food grain harvest of 580,000 tonnes in 2003, down 29.5 percent from 2002.The animal husbandry produced 0.3 percent and 15.6 percent more meat and milk than the previous year. The added value of agriculture in the year was 9.53 billion yuan, up 3.3 percent.

Industrial production in Beijing scored a 12 percent growth of 101.73 billion yuan in 2003.State-owned manufacturers showed a 1.5 percent annual decrease, and joint-stock ventures attained an 18.2 percent growth. Businesses financed by Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and foreign investors chalked up a 12 percent annual growth. The selling rate of the manufactured goods came to 98.2 percent.

Major manufactured goods produced in the city in 2003 included 347,000 automobiles, up 100 percent from 2002.The new and hi-tech industry achieved an industrial added-value of 31.41 billion yuan, up 7.1 percent. Among which, electronic and information industry, up 2.9 percent; bio-medicines, up 13.2 percent; and new materials, up 14.4 percent.

Building industries in the city earned a gross income of 130.67 billion yuan, up 23.8 percent from 2002.Their profits were 3.06 billion yuan, up 23.9 percent.

The capital's post and telecommunications industry earned an annual gross income of 17.48 billion yuan, up 12.4 percent from 2002. By the end of the year, there were 10,956,000 mobile phone subscribers in the city, up 19.2 percent. The newly developed businesses such as multi-media, Internet, phone information service, and mobile phone messages developed fast.

The local authorities and businesses invested a sum of 215.71 billion yuan in developing infrastructure and other fixed assets in the city in 2003, up 18.9 percent from 2002.The annual investment allocated for capital construction increased by 1.4 percent, that for retooling industries rose by 27.5 percent, and that for real estates jumped 21.5 percent. The commercial housing under construction covered a total floor space of more than 90.7 million square meters, up 20.8 percent.

The investment in road construction in the year was 12.92 billion yuan, twenty-two roads around the area prepared for holding the 2008 Olympic Games were under construction. And 158 projects for improving the city's environment were completed.

By the end of 2003, around 293 of the world's top 500 multi-national corporations had established businesses in Beijing's economic development zones. There were 24,181 businesses in the 26 zones, of which 20,281 had gone into production. These zones earned an annual gross income of 370.14 billion yuan, up 18.5 percent from 2002.Zhongguancun is the zone that shows the fastest development. There were 16,299 high-tech businesses, which made a gross income of 285.25 billion yuan in 2003, up 18.6 percent from 2002.

Beijing is armed with a science and technology force of 274,000 strong, including 227,000 scientists and engineers. The expenditure for R&D amounted to 25.28 billion yuan, up 15.2 percent. There were 73 colleges and universities with 457,000 students and 120,000 postgraduates in the city, up 17 percent and 23.2 percent, respectively.

Its imports and exports in the year totaled 68.46 billion US dollars, up 30.4 percent from the previous year. Its exports amounted to 16.85 billion dollars, up 33.6 percent, and its imports,51.61 billion dollars, up 29.4 percent. Meanwhile, overseas-funded businesses in the city exported 16.85 billion dollars' worth merchandise, an increase of 33.6 percent over 2002.

A total of 1,360 new overseas-funded projects were launched in Beijing in 2003, down 0.7 percent. They brought an overseas investment of 3.27 billion dollars, up 16.5 percent.

Because of SARS epidemic, Beijing played host to 1,851,000 overseas tourists in 2003, down 40.4 percent from 2002, and 87,370,000 holiday-makers from other parts of China, down 24 percent.