The year 2026 marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, during which the central government has emphasized accelerating the development of a modern industrial system and fostering new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions. Future industries are identified as a key driver to secure global leadership in technology and industrial competition. The 15th Five-Year Plan highlights quantum technology, hydrogen energy, nuclear fusion, biomanufacturing, brain-computer interfaces, embodied intelligence, and 6G mobile communication as priority areas for future industries. It also calls for exploring diverse technological pathways, application scenarios, viable business models, and regulatory frameworks to transform these sectors into new economic growth engines. The Central Economic Work Conference document released on December 11, 2025, further underscores the importance of innovation-driven growth, strengthening corporate innovation, and advancing high-quality development in key industrial chains, alongside deepening the "AI+" initiative.
As the global technological revolution enters a critical phase, future industries are no longer speculative but are becoming core drivers of economic growth, urban competitiveness, and industrial transformation. Beijing, as a national hub for technological innovation, has made significant strides in AI, humanoid robotics, autonomous driving, and commercial aerospace. In 2024, it was ranked first in China's Future Industry City Development Index. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing integrated future industries into its "2441" advanced industrial system and released the "Future Industry Innovation Development Implementation Plan" in 2023, targeting six key areas: information, health, manufacturing, energy, materials, and space. The city has established a "1+20+N" policy framework to promote disruptive technologies.
Beijing's spatial layout for future industries follows a "2+N" model. Haidian District focuses on AI and quantum information, while the Economic Development Zone is building an advanced autonomous driving demonstration zone and a commercial aerospace research base. Shijingshan District hosts China's first metaverse complex, and districts like Daxing, Fangshan, and Changping are accelerating clusters in hydrogen energy, new energy storage, and synthetic biology. In April 2025, Beijing announced plans to establish municipal-level future industry pilot zones in Haidian and Changping, fostering an integrated ecosystem of innovation, industry, capital, and talent.
Despite being in early stages, Beijing's future industries are gaining momentum through institutional innovation, scenario-driven applications, and policy support. The city is positioning itself as a global leader in the next wave of technological revolution.
**AI Industry to Exceed ¥450 Billion with Doubled Computing Power** Beijing is solidifying its status as China's "AI capital." The draft 15th Five-Year Plan elevates the "AI+" initiative to a strategic level, aiming to transform research paradigms and integrate AI across industries, culture, public services, and governance. According to the "Beijing AI Industry White Paper (2025)," the city's core AI industry reached ¥215.22 billion in the first half of 2025, a 25.3% year-on-year increase, with annual revenue projected to surpass ¥450 billion. Beijing hosts over 2,500 AI firms and 183 registered large models, leading the nation. Its computing capacity has also expanded, with intelligent computing power reaching 42,000 PFlops, expected to exceed 45,000 PFlops by year-end. Leveraging the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei-Inner Mongolia computing corridor, the city is building China's most robust green computing infrastructure.
**Humanoid Robotics: 30% of National Funding Concentrated in Beijing** 2025 is a pivotal year for humanoid robotics, transitioning from prototypes to commercialization. China's cost advantages and supply chain maturity are accelerating large-scale deployment. The National Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center forecasts domestic sales to exceed 10,000 units in 2025, a 125% increase, with a market size of ¥8.239 billion, accounting for half of the global total. Morgan Stanley projects the global humanoid robotics market to surpass $5 trillion by 2050, with a 50% CAGR.
Beijing is a key innovation hub in this field. In April 2025, it hosted the Global Half-Marathon Robotics Challenge, showcasing breakthroughs in operating systems, computing platforms, and data systems. The city boasts 57 specialized robotics firms, 33 surgical robot certifications, and 30 humanoid robotics manufacturers—all national leaders. By 2027, Beijing aims to master 100+ core technologies, deploy 10,000 embodied robots, and build a ¥100 billion industrial cluster.
Investment in humanoid robotics has surged, with Beijing accounting for 31.5% of national funding in 2025 (¥7.012 billion across 37 deals), reflecting capital concentration in top-tier cities.
**Over 400 Firms Drive "Vehicle-Road-Cloud Integration" in Autonomous Driving** In October 2025, Beijing released four local standards for autonomous driving testing, aligning with national pilot programs. The city's high-level autonomous driving demonstration zone now spans 600 square kilometers, covering 1,500 smart intersections and logging over 38 million test kilometers. With 1,000+ onboard units and a low-latency dedicated network, Beijing supports collaborative sensing, real-time cloud control, and smart parking.
Since 2017, Beijing has added 20+ autonomous driving firms annually, with SMEs comprising 60% of the 400+ companies in the ecosystem. The demonstration zone's 3.0 phase is advancing "vehicle-road-cloud integration" and sharing replicable practices nationwide, offering a clear "Beijing model" for commercialization.
Comments