The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in north China made great strides in coordinated development on various fronts in 2023, with the regional development index rising 5.6 points from the previous year to 148.8, according to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday.
In 2023, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei continued to increase investment in innovation and reaped more innovation outcomes, said the NBS, adding that the region's total research and development expenditure in 2023 rose by 4.6 percent year on year to a level 1.62 percentage points higher than the national level.
Industrial coordination was accelerated in 2023, with Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei jointly drawing up a map of six key industrial chains, and nearly 10,000 inter-provincial branches set up in the region by legal entities above the designated size, according to the data.
Green development was advanced steadily in the region. The proportion of surface water at or above Grade III in the region has exceeded 80 percent, all the five major rivers in the region have reconnected to the sea, and surface water below Grade V, the lowest level in the country's five-tier water quality system, has been eliminated in the region's major rivers, the data showed.
In terms of jointly building infrastructure, the total length of operating railway in the region reached 11,300 kilometers, up 2.3 percent from the previous year. Residents in the region can now travel to any neighboring city within one and a half hours, said the NBS.
By the end of 2023, a project allowing residents in the region to access services in different cities with only one card had covered 25 human resources and social security services, more than 64,000 designated medical institutions, and nearly 4,000 transport routes, according to the data.
In 2014, a national strategy was proposed for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Since then, the strategy has seen progress including an improved transportation system, robust infrastructure, and enhanced technology innovations across the region, among others.
The gross domestic product of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, one of the country's most economically vibrant regions, reached 10.4 trillion yuan in 2023, almost doubling that of 2013, with an average annual growth rate of 5.8 percent.
Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region advances coordinated development in 2023: report
China is accelerating efforts to build low-altitude infrastructure, with new takeoff and landing facilities, communication networks, and digital systems being constructed in key cities to facilitate the development of this rapidly growing sector.
Low-altitude economy refers to the economic activities and industries centered around manned and unmanned aerial vehicles operating in the airspace usually within 1,000 meters above the ground.
In southern tech hub of Shenzhen, a newly operational rooftop helipad is a key part of the city's push to expand its low-altitude economy. Originally built for fire safety, the helipad has been repurposed with plans for a new aerial sightseeing route in the surrounding area.
"We've estimated the investment, and it's relatively modest since the foundational infrastructure is already in place. The costs will likely be in the range of a few million yuan. If rooftop helipads are connected, it could create an aerial transportation network that links different buildings together," said Kuang Hu, vice chairman of Guangdong Yuehai Land Group.
Shenzhen aims to complete over 1,200 low-altitude facilities by 2026, with the local government offering subsidies of up to 2 million yuan (over 270,000 U.S. dollars) per project. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to create a seamless low-altitude infrastructure ecosystem that integrates airspace management, flight paths, and services.
"By the end of 2026, the district aims to complete 100 low-altitude infrastructure projects," said Chen Wenlei, deputy director of the Development and Reform Bureau of Luohu District, Shenzhen.
"We are in the process of establishing a comprehensive network that includes infrastructure, airspace management, flight paths, and services. By integrating these four key networks into a unified low-altitude standard system, we aim to promote the seamless opening and integration of low-altitude airspace infrastructure and systems," said Cheng Tao, executive secretary of the Shenzhen Low-altitude Economy Industry Association.
In Shanghai, the East China UAV Base has been approved for testing new drones, technologies, and services within a 1,370-square-kilometer airspace. A newly deployed 5G base station at the base offers both communication and radar-like sensing capabilities, essential for managing low-altitude airspace.
"Currently, the station covers a radius of several kilometers, offering crucial data such as the aircraft's latitude, longitude, altitude, speed, and other key metrics. Once airborne, all types of aircraft require communication. For those flying below 300 meters, we can provide tailored coverage for their flight paths," said Du Yanyan, deputy general manager of the Planning and Technology Department at China Mobile Shanghai.
Experts say that technologies like 5G and the BeiDou navigation system are essential to supporting China's low-altitude infrastructure. However, they emphasize the need for network interoperability to address challenges as drones and aircraft transition between regions.
"The low-altitude communication and sensing networks being developed in various regions each follow different technical approaches. For example, when a drone travels from Area A to Area B, it must switch networks, and addressing these challenges promptly is crucial," said Du Jiadong, head of the network and application group at the Low-altitude Economy Research Center, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT).
The Civil Aviation Administration of China estimates that the country's low-altitude market will soar from 500 billion yuan in 2023 to 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025 and as much as 3.5 trillion yuan in 2035.
This year, for the first time, the term "low-altitude economy" was included in the Chinese government's work report, signifying an official endorsement that has emboldened numerous cities.
Infrastructure networks rapidly taking shape to boost low-altitude economy
