The 2025 mid-term meeting of the International Business Leaders Advisory Council for the Mayor of Beijing (IBLAC) was successfully held in Beijing on the afternoon of May 21. Vice Mayor Sima Hong met face-to-face with heads of the Asia-Pacific and China divisions of 34 council members to exchange views and gather feedback. Organized by CCPIT Beijing (serving as the IBLAC Secretariat), the meeting brought together over 140 participants, including representatives from more than 30 municipal government agencies—such as the Bureau of Financial Work, the Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, the Commerce Bureau, and the Foreign Affairs Office—as well as officials from Dongcheng District.
Sima Hong expressed her appreciation for the long-standing contributions of IBLAC members to Beijing's socioeconomic development. She acknowledged the steady growth of the IBLAC family—in scale, structure, and influence—highlighting that its 38 members have not only played a key role in driving the city's economic progress but also provided invaluable insights into its future trajectory. In fact, Beijing has translated nearly 100 recommendations made by council members last year into tangible actions from municipal commissions, bureaus, districts, and the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area. Such recommendations have thus become new engines for the city's growth. In spring 2025, China reaffirmed its openness to the world by extending a renewed invitation to foreign enterprises. The Beijing market, in particular, has displayed an even stronger "magnetic appeal" as the city continues its pursuit of high-quality development. Beijing's commitment to high-level innovation has brought into shape three trillion-yuan industrial clusters (for next-generation IT, technological services, and biopharmaceuticals) and seven hundred-billion-yuan clusters (in AI, energy conservation and environmental protection, and other sectors). Furthermore, the city has constantly enhanced its high-standard services and reshaped its business environment reforms. The recently launched "Beijing Services" policy has streamlined the registration process for foreign-funded enterprises. As a result, over 2,000 such companies were set up in the city last year.
Sima Hong expressed her hopes that IBLAC members will deepen their collaboration with Beijing to enhance the benefits of the Council and develop signature initiatives for international business engagement. She called on these members to harness their own strengths, capitalize on the opportunities offered by China's expansive market, and align with key trends such as digital transformation, green development, consumer market upgrades, and the further opening-up of the service sector. Members are also expected to increase their investment and strengthen their presence in Beijing, and take deeper roots across China. They should leverage their role as industry trailblazers along with their global influence and resources to promote the transformation and upgrades of industry and supply chains while promoting global connectivity. These collective efforts will contribute to realizing the shared vision: "In Beijing, for China, with impact across the world". Meanwhile, Beijing remains committed to providing all council members with comprehensive, high-level services.
Zhang Jianwei, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of CCPIT Beijing, presided over the meeting. Wang Zhiyong, Vice Governor of Dongcheng District, delivered a regional presentation, while Zhang Huayu, Deputy Director General of the Municipal Commerce Bureau, provided an overview of the "two zones" initiative. Zhu Jialiang, Vice Chairman of CCPIT Beijing, gave a report on the implementation of recommendations from the 16th IBLAC meeting. Letters outlining the implementation progress were distributed to council members.
Lin Xiao, General Manager of AstraZeneca China, and Yoshiura Kenya, President of Mizuho Bank (China), delivered remarks on behalf of the newly appointed council members. Senior executives from 19 council members also spoke at the meeting, including Jean-Philippe Lamarcade, Vice President of EDF Group and President of EDF China; Zhang Zhiqiang, Head of Arup Mainland China (North and Central China); and Huang Zhi, China Chair of S&P Global. The delegates recognized the IBLAC's role as a key platform, introduced their local business and expansion efforts in Beijing, and expressed strong confidence in their development prospects in Beijing and China as a whole. They voiced a collective commitment to deepening their investments in Beijing and leveraging the IBLAC platform to enhance communication, share opportunities, and collaboratively build a brighter future.
Prior to the meeting, representatives of council members ascended the Drum Tower, where they experienced the unique charm of Beijing's central axis—an inspiring fusion of tradition and modernity.
Chairman: Zhang Jianwei Chairperson: Li Xiangying Vice Chairman: Liu Yang Vic...