Beijing
4.98T yuan GDP (2024); #1 in unicorns (115), AI firms (~2,400); 300 new tech firms daily; 83.8% tertiary sector; 4.4% R&D intensity; most Fortune 500 HQs.
Beijing's GDP reached 4.98 trillion yuan in 2024 (+5.2%), on track to cross 5 trillion yuan in 2025—cementing its role as China's innovation hub. The municipality registers 300+ new tech companies daily, with higher density than Silicon Valley. It hosts 115 unicorns, 1,035 'little giant' SMEs, and ~2,400 AI firms (half of China's total)—all ranking #1 nationally. The tertiary sector (finance, tech, education) accounts for 83.8% of output. The pharma/healthcare industry surpassed 1 trillion yuan for the first time. Beijing facilitated 84.37 billion yuan in tech transfers to Tianjin and Hebei in 2024. R&D intensity at 4.4% of GDP. Home to most Fortune Global 500 headquarters in China, plus 252 multinational regional HQs and 149 foreign R&D centers. Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region totals 11.5 trillion yuan GDP, growing faster than national average for the first time in a decade.