Beijing’s Software Industry Surpasses Trillion-Yuan Mark: 2019 Report Highlights

On June 27, 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Beijing Municipal Government co‑hosted the “2019 Software Celebrity Forum,” where the Ministry’s Deputy Director Li Guanyu and Beijing Economic and Information Technology Bureau Director Wang Gang delivered keynote speeches. The bureau released the “2019 Beijing Software and Information Service Industry Development Report,” detailing the sector’s achievements over the past year.

No.1 Software Industry Scale Breaks Trillion‑Yuan Barrier

The report shows that Beijing’s software industry continued stable, healthy growth, with the 2018 industry scale surpassing one trillion yuan, achieving the “13th Five‑Year” target ahead of schedule. The sector contributed 3,859.0 billion yuan in added value, accounting for 12.7 % of the city’s GDP, marking a “double harvest” of speed and quality.

No.2 Improving Business Environment

Beijing has optimized its industrial policy system, expanding openness in telecom, launching the “Three‑Year Action Plan for Expanding Internet Information Field Openness,” and issuing an industrial internet action plan. Government‑guided funds have accelerated high‑precision projects, while comprehensive service packages and tax incentives have enhanced enterprise satisfaction.

No.3 Emerging Fields Drive Internal Momentum

Emerging sectors such as cloud computing (1,179.5 billion yuan, +13.7 % YoY), big data (1,602.1 billion yuan, +39.6 % YoY), and artificial intelligence (1,122 billion yuan, +46.1 % YoY) led the rapid growth, with AI enterprises accounting for 26.5 % of the nation’s total.

No.4 Attracting International Talent and Capital

In 2018, the industry employed 867,000 people (+3.9 % YoY), representing 14.3 % of the tertiary sector. Investment reached US$57.32 billion (+81.9 % YoY), with listed financing exceeding 40 % of total. AI attracted significant capital interest.

No.5 Independent Innovation Achievements

Beijing recorded 163,000 software copyright registrations (14.8 % of the nation) and 19,000 patent applications (10,000 granted). The city hosts eight national and 201 municipal enterprise technology centers, with R&D intensity at 12.5 %.

No.6 Regional Collaboration in the Beijing‑Tianjin‑Hebei Area

From 2014‑2018, Beijing software firms established 1,826 branches in Tianjin and Hebei. Investment in the region grew 6.6‑fold to 2.73 billion yuan, and joint innovation projects yielded 555 patent applications, 528 grants, and 424 software copyright registrations.

Overall, the software and information service industry has become a cornerstone of Beijing’s high‑precision economic structure, driving technological innovation, economic transformation, and positioning the city as a national leader in the digital economy.