The Beijing E-Town Comprehensive Bonded Zone has officially been approved by the State Council during the “Beijing Day” and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Coordinated Investment Promotion Conference at the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services. Spanning a planned area of 0.61 square kilometers, the new zone will focus on advanced manufacturing and the integration of manufacturing with service industries. It will be the country’s first comprehensive bonded zone aimed at developing cutting-edge productive forces.
Kong Lei, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Administrative Committee of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA), highlighted that the zone is located in the Zhangziying Industrial Park in the southern part of E-Town New City.
The site offers excellent transport links and proximity to key industry hubs in sectors such as integrated circuits, autonomous driving, IT innovation, and commercial aerospace. It will include four core functional areas: bonded processing, logistics distribution, bonded R&D, and inspection and maintenance services.
The first phase of land development has been completed, and the design and implementation of surrounding municipal roads and regulatory facilities for the bonded zone are underway, with the first inspection expected by 2025. The initial phase will offer 100,000 square meters of R&D, processing, and storage space, providing flexible facilities like shared laboratories and public warehouses for enterprises of all sizes.
“With the strong support of the Beijing Municipal Government, Beijing Customs, and coordination from various central departments such as the General Administration of Customs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, and the State Taxation Administration, the State Council recently approved the establishment of the Beijing E-Town Comprehensive Bonded Zone,” said Kong Lei.
“The zone will focus on advanced manufacturing and the integration of high-end manufacturing and services, with an emphasis on industrial and technological innovation. It aims to be the first comprehensive bonded zone in China dedicated to the cultivation and development of new-quality productive forces.”
The bonded zone will target industries such as precision manufacturing, R&D iteration, and repair and testing under bonded operations, while promoting diversified service trade such as financial leasing, industrial component platforms, and cross-border e-commerce. In terms of industrial function, it will emphasize “advanced manufacturing and open iteration,” building a “4+N” bonded industrial ecosystem.
The “4” refers to four key areas: a global distribution center for key components with a focus on new-generation information technology; an R&D and bonded maintenance center for whole vehicles and key components, particularly in the new-energy vehicle sector; a global clinical testing and contract research organization (CRO) service hub for biopharmaceuticals; and an intelligent manufacturing line for high-end equipment, specifically targeting leading foreign-invested enterprises.
The “N” represents a series of service trade platforms aimed at supporting cutting-edge industries, such as one-stop industrial supply and large-equipment leasing, setting a national benchmark for comprehensive bonded zone services.
As the country’s first fully integrated high-tech and intelligent-scenario bonded zone, Beijing E-Town Comprehensive Bonded Zone leverages the advantages of next-generation information technology, high-level autonomous driving, and 5G+ industries. It is exploring innovative applications such as smart unmanned warehouse scheduling, AI-assisted supervision, and digital archives for data assets.
The zone will become a fully digitalized park throughout its construction and operation phases, promoting the digitization of all elements in production, transactions, logistics, warehousing, and supervision. Moreover, it will explore a regulatory “sandbox” mechanism for industrial development and bonded supervision, setting the benchmark for digital and intelligent innovation in comprehensive bonded zones across China.
During the “Beijing Day” event, the Beijing E-Town Comprehensive Bonded Zone signed on-site agreements with four enterprises, including Tianjin Port Group. The first group of 21 companies has signed agreements to move into the zone.
In recent years, Beijing E-Town has continued to advance reforms and innovations in science, technology, and industry, boosting the vitality of its high-tech industrial ecosystem and furthering its commitment to high-level openness.
The establishment of this comprehensive bonded zone marks a significant milestone for Beijing E-Town, making it the only economic zone in China to enjoy the combined benefits of a national economic development zone, national high-tech zone, Zhongguancun National Innovation Demonstration Zone, service sector opening-up demonstration zone, free trade pilot zone, and comprehensive bonded zone.
