The vitality of economic development is reflected not only in macro-level statistics but also in the tangible daily experiences of ordinary people. As spring marks the beginning of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, we took to the streets and alleys of Beijing to observe the subtle shifts in people’s lives—small changes that reveal broader trends in the city’s first-quarter economic performance.
(1) "During the day, you might encounter driverless vehicles; at night, you could come across robots jogging through the streets." In Beijing's Yizhuang district, this is no exaggeration. On April 19, the second Human-Robot Half Marathon was held here. The competing robots showed remarkable improvement, moving with agility and strength. Gone were the remote operators jogging behind them—nearly 40% of the robots now navigated autonomously, and few stumbled during the nearly 21-kilometer run.
One contestant, the autonomous humanoid robot "Lightning" from the Thunderbolt team, sprinted across the finish line. How did this year’s results compare to last year’s champion, which finished in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds? The answer: 50 minutes and 26 seconds—not only two-thirds faster but also nearly seven minutes quicker than the human world record for a half marathon.
What drove such a leap in just one year? The robots’ improved speed reflects a broader acceleration in industrial transformation and the cultivation of new growth drivers. This year, Beijing has intensified its focus on embodied intelligence, opening up application scenarios and streamlining R&D processes. Breakthroughs on the racetrack correspond to solid industrial data: in the first quarter, Beijing’s regional GDP grew by 5.9% year-on-year, industrial production accelerated, and high-end manufacturing led the way. Output of industrial robots, service robots, new energy vehicles, and integrated circuits increased by 98.5%, 92.3%, 44%, and 11.7%, respectively, signaling sustained momentum in new growth areas.
Artificial intelligence offers another window into Beijing’s economic potential. To gauge the city’s entrepreneurial energy, one might visit the "AI Origin Community" near Tsinghua and Peking universities—a place where a hotpot meal could lead to an angel investment. At the end of March, a pitch event organized as a "hotpot gathering" took place here. Instead of standing on stage, investors sat among the mostly post-1998-born AI entrepreneurs, discussing business over boiling broth and tripe.
Since its launch over a year ago, the AI Origin Community hosts an average of 2.5 events per day. Participants have included renowned academic experts, industry leaders, and even municipal and district-level officials offering on-site resource matching. Like a rainforest ecosystem, the community has attracted more than 400 companies, many of them single-person operations. Beijing, which leads the nation in AI talent and registered large models, now hosts four similar AI communities. By 2025, the city aims for its core AI industry to reach 450 billion yuan in scale, with a goal of exceeding one trillion yuan in the following two years. As one investor remarked, "Every generation has its own night school. Who’s to say the next globally popular app won’t be born right here?"
(2) This April, the centuries-old Lilac Poetry Gathering took on a fresh spirit. At Beijing’s Fayuan Temple, lingering under one lilac tree means missing the fragrance of the whole garden; pausing in the ancient temple courtyard means overlooking the lively spring atmosphere. Poetry exchanges, intangible cultural heritage displays, and consumer promotions unfolded side by side. Jiang Qian, a resident for over 60 years, never imagined that the once-disorderly Lanman Hutong could transform into a bustling cultural district.
Through gradual, tailored renewal—"one courtyard, one strategy"—old urban spaces have been revitalized, fostering small-scale, diverse commercial formats. A文创 store of less than 10 square meters now displays over 300 products, with spring season sales doubling. A coffee brand has rapidly expanded to five locations within the hutong. Behind these scattered small businesses lies a shift in consumption supply: urban renewal is not just about improving physical infrastructure but also about cultural revitalization. Through specialty文创 products, boutique guesthouses, and hutong-style dining, the area now better serves tourists and local culture enthusiasts, enhancing its capacity to attract consumption.
Another example of commercial reinvention is the Beijing Friendship Store’s transformation. Rather than large-scale redevelopment, the store opened its long-closed backyard, integrating new life subtly. A garage became a craft beer bar, a guardhouse turned into a café, and a parking lot now serves as an open-air dining area—all co-created with consumers. In the first quarter, the store’s sales reached 138 million yuan, up 1,728% year-on-year.
Elsewhere, the "Wanli" complex, with total investment exceeding 10 billion yuan, features over 50% first-in-city brands. In Tongzhou, the "On the Canal" water-and-light performance along the Grand Canal is in its testing phase. Since late 2025, Beijing has continued to expand new consumer services, unlocking fresh consumption potential. When old spaces can host new content, existing assets turn into new growth drivers.
(3) At 2:30 p.m., the TidU restaurant in Beijing’s Chaoyang District enters a relatively quiet period. Manager Yang Xinghe had just finished the lunch rush when market regulation inspectors arrived—intentionally choosing an off-peak hour to minimize disruption. In the past, such unannounced inspections might have caused anxiety, with businesses unsure what to expect. This time, the process was quick. Yang presented the business license; the officer scanned it with a phone, and all relevant information, inspection items, and evaluation criteria appeared. The inspection was completed in under 20 minutes. "Now it’s clear what they’re checking and how," Yang said. "It’s much more reassuring."
This change stems from a seemingly minor reform. In recent years, Beijing has fully implemented "scan-to-inspect" procedures, where enforcement actions are logged via QR codes and visible to businesses in real time. Multiple departments coordinate to conduct "one visit, multiple inspections." In 2025, the monthly average of unplanned inspections dropped by 97.4%. For inspectors, paperwork that once took over ten minutes is now quickly completed via system entry. For businesses, the benefit is not just time saved but reduced uncertainty. Such changes tangibly improve the business environment and boost confidence.
Data show that in 2025, Beijing registered 380,000 new market entities, a year-on-year increase of about 21%. If "scan-to-inspect" streamlines through less interference, other reforms provide "hard support" for growth.
In southern Beijing, the "Rocket Street" project is nearing completion. As the country’s first shared testing and R&D base for commercial aerospace, it resembles not a traditional industrial park but a "public toolbox," integrating mission control centers, shared testing platforms, and component support services to offer end-to-end assistance from research to verification. "Many companies don’t lack innovative technology—they struggle with high testing costs, long cycles, and fragmented resources," explained Ma Chao, Deputy Director of the Robot and Intelligent Manufacturing Bureau at Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.
From commercial aerospace to pharmaceutical innovation, from concept validation centers to pilot production bases, a growing number of sci-tech platforms are taking shape in Beijing. They address the "middle stage" of科技成果转化, making it easier to advance from prototype to product.
Reforms in the business environment are energizing development. In the first quarter, Beijing introduced a new version of its business environment reform plan, rolling out 28 targeted measures to help more companies benefit from policy support and focus on their growth trajectories.
(4) Returning home late after work, Zhang Jianzhuang pushes open the door to a lit room and a warm meal, greeted by his wife urging him to wash up. Such ordinary comfort did not come easily for this food delivery rider, who has worked in Beijing for over two decades.
On April 1, during a rare day off, Zhang relaxed at home feeding his fish. In the past, he lived in shared apartments and moved frequently. That changed early this year when his family moved into the "Urban Builders and Managers Home" in Tongzhou’s Taihu area. Though the space is modest, it offers a stable foothold.
Similar changes are emerging for other essential service workers. The project’s first phase of 336 units, targeting delivery workers, couriers, sanitation staff, and others, reached over 90% occupancy within four months. Additional units are gradually becoming available. Securing "a bed, a room" addresses the housing difficulties faced by new residents, young people, and urban service personnel—a crucial step in both social welfare and urban governance.
In a megacity like Beijing, the economy is sustained not only by enterprises and projects but also by the countless individuals providing essential services. Only when workers are settled can urban development proceed with confidence.
These details from Beijing’s frontline collectively convey an encouraging message: new动能 is shaping industries, new spaces are redefining consumption, new systems are cutting costs, and new safeguards are stabilizing lives. This megacity is moving forward with innovation, composing a spring melody of high-quality growth.
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