The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, one of China's economic powerhouses, reported a combined GDP of 11.5 trillion yuan ($1.6 trillion) in 2024, as top officials of the three places pledged to deepen regional integration and expand high-level opening-up during a joint leadership symposium recently.

The symposium, attended by Party secretaries and mayors or governors of the three places, was held in Shijiazhuang, the capital city of Hebei province, from Sunday to Monday. They will convene the 2026 symposium in Beijing.

They have reviewed progress in the 2024 coordinated development strategy and mapped out measures to strengthen industrial collaboration, drive innovation-driven growth, and enhance public services.

The technical contract turnover from Beijing to Tianjin and Hebei reached 84.37 billion yuan in 2024, a 12.7 percent year-over-year increase, reflecting strengthened innovation synergies, according to a report by Beijing News.

In transportation, Beijing, Tianjin, and Xiong'an New Area in Hebei have achieved half-hour connectivity, and a transportation circle of 1-1.5 hours among major cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has been essentially formed, according to the report.

In terms of the environment, the annual average concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the three places were all lower than 40 micrograms per cubic meter, resulting in clearer skies and greener landscapes in the region.

The meeting this year adopted 20 measures to boost regional opening-up, including the construction of open corridors and the upgrading of open platforms, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.

The three places also jointly formulated measures to promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements in the region.

Focusing on six aspects, including connecting the chain of technology achievement transformation and enhancing multi-domain scenario applications, they have specified 19 initiatives to help the region better play a leading role in driving high-quality development nationwide.

Key agreements signed at the site included establishing joint Zhongguancun industrial parks, synthetic bio-manufacturing partnerships, and streamlined administrative services.