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The Second Capital Region Economic Forum for Southwest of Beijing: NEW BEIJING, NEW SOUTHWEST

An old saying describes the distribution of residents in old Beijing as " the rich in the east, the noble in the west, the poor in the south and the humble in the north.

Today, the city’s development is still more advanced in the north and east, while the eastern and western regions account for a smaller part of the city’s overall growth. But these disparities may soon be narrowed under government plans encouraging integration of the five districts in southwestern Beijing, according to the second Capital Region Economic Forum for Southwest of Beijing.

The major initiatives discussed during the October 2008 forum include creating a “West CBD” and the rejuvenation of the Yongding River drainage area, which runs through the five districts: Shijingshan, Fengtai, Daxing, Fangshan and Mentougou.

“In 10 to 15 years, it will become a new central business area with the concentration of high-end services sectors including business offices, headquarters, financial services, research and development, business services, digital recreation and more,” said Zhou Maofei, head of the Shijingshan District Government.

West CBD: New Centre of High-End Industries

The plan for the West CBD (W-CBD) area features a westward extension of Xi Chang’an Jie (West Chang’an Avenue) and the Yongdinghe as its two axes. The plan will be carried out in three stages: From 2008 to 2012, work will begin on developing the “Chang’an Jie Fortune Boulevard” project, and the general plan for the entire project will be completed. This includes the relocation of the Shougang Group, the extension of Xi Chang’an Jie and an extension of Subway Line 1; from 2013 to 2017, recruitment of leading industries desired in the area will be completed, and the W-CBD will be in shape by and large; and from 2018 to 2020, the W-CBD will be operational.

“It will provide a platform for the city in search of new space for development in the southwestern area, enlarge the economic volume of Beijing and become an important motive power and new area of growth for the capital’s economic development in the future,” said Zhou.

The main area of the W-CBD, which is about 30 square kilometres, will include the space emptied after Shougang is moved out to Caofeidian some 100 kilometres north of Beijing, the Mencheng area of Mentougou District, the northern Changxindian area in Fengtai District and Central Shijingshan District, according to Zhou.

Unlike the current Beijing CBD in Chaoyang District, which features financial industries, the W-CBD will focus on building a national trade centre of noble metals, iron and steel futures as well as energy products, forging sectors like consultation, advertising, and new power.

Statistics suggest that the tertiary industry accounted for only 10 percent of the region’s economy in southwestern Beijing. Urban development in the area lags behind the eastern and northern areas. Its long-standing dependence on the Shougang Group has cost it significant impetus for non-Shougang growth, especially with the with the relocation of the company. Promoting the growth of high-end sectors coincides with the industrial upgrading needs of the city, but is also a natural choice for the region.

Rejuvenation of Yongdinghe: Bringing New Life to the River and the City

The rejuvenation of the Yongdinghe area was brought up during the first Capital Region Economic Forum for Southwest of Beijing in 2007 and was focused on the flood-prevention. After the Olympics, the improvement of the city’s eco-environment continues to be a key task for Beijing and the rejuvenation of Yongdinghe is an important part of this thinking.

The programme will incorporate the experiences of inner-city river managers in foreign cities such as along the Rhine in Germany, the River Thames in London and many other rivers in China, hoping to combine the function of drainage, city landscaping and river-bank businesses. 

Industrial water conserved after the relocation of Shougang Group, water from the up-stream Guanting Reservoir and recycled water from waste-water treatment plants in the urban districts will provide enough water for the river.

The Sanjiadian to Lugouqiao part of Yongdinghe mainly runs through the urban area of the southwest. Therefore, the development of this part of the river will focus on a landscaping fusion of water resources and surrounding buildings and roads. It will fully consider the citizens’ need for a sound eco-environment and daily recreation to develop a Yongdinghe leisure belt.

Different part of the river has different ecological characteristics and function needs. “Therefore, during the exploration of Yongdinghe, we must pay attention to the integration of different parts of the river and their surrounding areas, and make separate plans for each part,” said Gao Jianzhong, vice-chairman of the China People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) of Fengtai District.

His comments are well reflected in the plan for Yongdinghe development: the 108 kilometre upper stream will be restored to its natural beauty; the 18 km middle stream will become a leisure and recreational belt; while in Daxing, Fangshan at the lower stream, wetlands and country parks will be built.

Aside from these plans, the five districts also signed a cooperative plan for tourism industry at the forum, hoping to integrate their valuable tourism resources.

The tourism industry in the area has already formed a complete chain, providing unified service for tourists from dining to accommodations, transportation and touring. However, the lack of a confirmed development plan and coordinating mechanism has resulted in the lack of comprehensive action, according to Ji Xianjiang, chief of the Tourism Administration of Fangshan District.

Tourism resources are managed by the district in which they are located in. There is no plan of common development and common interest sharing, said Ji.

Jointly launching themed tourism lines that cover different districts should be tried, said Ji. “Fangshan and Mentougou can develop a temple journey including Tanzhesi, Jietaisi, Shihuadong, and Qinglonghu; Shijingshan, Fengtai and Fangshan can intensify collaboration of the Shijingshan Amusement Park, World Park and World Geology Park; and Fengtai, Daxing and Fangshan can jointly launch a hot spring, sight-seeing and fruit and vegetable self-picking tour,” said Ji.

两大战略构想推进首都西南区域经济发展
文/薛京晶

首都西南区域概况

首都西南区域包括石景山、丰台、大兴、房山及门头沟5个行政区域。土地总面积为4897.24平方公里，占北京全市总面积的29.84%，目前，五区常住人口达到437.5万人，占北京全市常住人口总数的26.79%。西南五区同处于北京的“母亲河”——永定河流域，拥有丰富的自然资源和历史文化资源，曾经为北京的经济发展，特别是能源供给、城市农副产品供应做出积极贡献。《北京市“十一五”规划时期功能区域发展规划》将北京划分出四类功能区，西南区域涵盖了其中的城市功能拓展区（石景山区、丰台区）、城市发展新区（大兴区、房山区）和生态涵养发展区（门头沟区）三类功能区，在北京市经济发展和城市空间格局中的战略地位更加凸显。

西南区域经济发展现状

近年来，首都西南区域经济发展取得了显著的成绩。根据北京市2003—2007年的统计数据显示，西南区域的经济总量和人均水平得到明显提升。2007年，西南区域的国内生产总值（GDP）达到1146.35亿元，比2003年增长了433.81亿元，年均增长率达到12.62%；人均GDP则由2003年的19138.9元/人增长到2007年的26202.3元/人，年均增长8.17%。但与北京市各项经济发展指标的比较结果显示，西南区域与北京市总体水平的差距仍较明显，以其占全市近30%的土地面积，仅仅创造了14%的生产总值和6%的地方财政收入。

为了摆脱经济孤立发展的局面，西南5区政府在2007年创办了“首都西南区域经济发展论坛”，该论坛将每年举行一次，由5区政协轮值承办。2008年论坛的主题是“开放合作、创新发展”，就永定河流域生态修复建设与首都经济和社会发展的关系、首都西南区域经济发展与大市政建设、首都西南区域产业发展与重点项目布局、协调推进首都西南区域休闲旅游产业发展、首都西南地区都市型现代农业发展趋势及对策等方面内容进行了研讨，携手共谋区域经济发展，重点建设休闲旅游、都市型现代农业、现代服务业和文化创意四大产业。

提升区域承载能力

由于多方面原因，西南区域经济发展的起点较低，基础较差，与北京整体发展水平相比仍然存在着较大的差距。目前，西南区域普遍处于战略转型期，顺利实现该区域经济转型和产业升级，实现奥运会后区域经济的快速发展，对于改变北京城市“东北重、西南轻”的城市空间格局有重要作用。

随着北京城市空间结构调整步伐的进一步加快，多中心网络化城市空间格局日趋明朗。从西南区域自身来看，土地空间资源比较丰富，生态环境条件比较优越，交通条件也不断改善，而且随着首钢涉钢部分的搬迁、永定河治理工程的实施以及北京第二机场项目的启动、“新南站”经济圈的形成，该地区的后发优势日益凸显。京西南地区完全有能力、有条件建设成为首都发展的新空间，更好地服务于首都城市空间格局的战略性调整。

在《北京城市总体规划（2004—2020年）》中，北京提出了“宜居城市”的建设目标，京西南地区作为北京重要的生态绿色屏障，不仅山地面积广大，而且拥有北京的“母亲河”——永定河，在流域治理和生态修复等方面都承担着北京重要的生态涵养功能。2008年奥运会后，北京将继续巩固已经拥有的生态环境建设成果，继续推进生态文明建设。因此，加快京西南区域发展尤其是生态环境方面的建设与发展，不仅能够极大地改善区域环境和区域形象，对于提升北京生态承载能力，促进国际“宜居城市”目标实现具有重要意义。

两大战略构想推进京西南地区发展

随着2008年奥运会在北京圆满落下帷幕，北京的城市发展也站在了一个崭新的起点上，为此，京西南地区提出了两大发展战略构想：

第一，以永定河综合开发治理为突破口，加快京西南地区生态环境建设与完善。自20世纪70年代以来，由于北京市把永定河主要作为泄洪河道，而忽视了其生态涵养和城市景观的作用，使得永定河及沿岸的生态环境逐步恶化。永定河作为联系西南区域的生态纽带和北京重要的生态廊道，加快永定河开发治理可以极大地改善京西南地区的生态环境，提升区域经济价值。

目前，西南地区的轨道交通、高速公路、公路网等综合交通体系逐步形成，如阜石路西四环至西五环段已正式通车、轨道交通大兴线和高速公路六环路也正在建设，不断改善的交通基础设施条件为未来永定河的综合开发治理奠定了良好基础。另外，西南地区的水资源条件也是基础雄厚：一是首钢搬迁后节省的工业用水。二是永定河上游的官厅水库可以适量放水。三是北京城八区污水处理厂改造为再生水厂后，每年约有6亿立方米的再生水可以回灌城市河流，其中部分可供给永定河流域。此外，永定河部分河段自身还有少量径流，这些都为永定河恢复景观水面创造了一定条件。同时，永定河北京段的不同河段具有不同的生态特点和功能要求，比如上游注重恢复河道的自然景观，下游可以修建一些郊野公园和湿地景观等。

第二，以建设京西中央商务区（W—CBD）为重点，加快区域产业转型与升级。京西南地区在经济发展中普遍面临着产业结构调整和转型升级的压力。产业结构低端、资源能源依赖型产业淘汰后新产业的培育不足成为制约西南区域经济发展的突出问题。未来京西南地区将以“W—CBD”建设为重点，在培育新兴产业、加快产业向高端环节推进、提升西南区域产业实力等方面发挥重要作用。

W—CBD以长安街西延线为东西发展轴，以永定河流域为南北生态轴，计划用10—15年的时间建设成为具有商务办公、总部办公功能，金融服务、研发设计服务、商务服务、文化创意等高端服务业聚集，创意、创新、总部特征凸显的京西南新型中央商务区。首先，W—CBD能够满足奥运会后北京不断增长的商务功能需求，扩大城市经济容量，使其成为支撑未来首都经济发展的重要增长极和新的发展空间。其次，W—CBD可以吸引并发展一批高端产业和产业的高端环节，直接加速石景山区、门头沟区、丰台区等产业结构调整升级，并促进整个西南地区经济加快转型。目前，西南地区已经具备了很好的发展条件，包括首钢搬迁腾退的土地、门头沟门城地区、丰台长辛店北部地区以及石景山中部地区，总面积约30平方公里，其中可建设用地约19平方公里。另外，围合区域正在开发和建设石景山银河、京燕等中小型商务区，这些都为W—CBD的开发建设奠定了很好的经济基础。同时，五环路、阜石路和莲石路等都已建成通车，长安街西延线将穿过首钢主厂区直达门城；区域内拥有丰沙铁路、京原铁路、京门铁路和规划中的市郊铁路S1号线等铁路交通和地铁1号线、3号线等轨道交通；108和109国道分别从西南方向和西北方向打开商务区对外联系的通道，这些都为W—CBD建设创造了良好的交通环境。