Foreign firms setting down their roots in Beijing

Beijing will promote opening-up in the service industry with expanded market access to provide more high-quality and diversified services from overseas suppliers and to boost the city's high-quality developments.

Beneficiary sectors include science and technology, internet and information, culture and education, finance, commerce and tourism, and healthcare and medical services.

Three years ago the capital became the first pilot city for opening-up in the service industry and significant achievements have been made since.

Air France-KLM, a major airline, founded a joint venture in Beijing, which is the country's first aircraft repair service provider where a foreign investor is the controlling shareholder. Bank card payment companies Visa and MasterCard both opened their first Chinese branches in the city. The number of joint ventures qualified for outbound tourism grew to five.

At designated areas in Beijing, wholly foreign-owned entertainment and performance agencies are allowed.

So far, Dragon Legend Entertainment, an agency from the United States focusing on the cultural and creative industries and performing arts, and Avex Group, a major record company in Japan, have both opened in Beijing. They are expected to further exchanges and cooperation in performing projects between China and overseas, local media reported.

The number of new foreign-invested companies involved in hospital management, health management, educational consultancy, snacks and catering businesses reached 162 in 2017, up 52.8 percent year-on-year.

Headquarters, research centers and business incubators funded by global giants including Apple Inc, Tesla, MSD and Microsoft, settled in the capital.

In July 2015, three British people paid 502 yuan (about $70) to buy some Chinese specialties and they got tax rebates of 45 yuan. It is the first case for foreigners to get a tax refund when leaving China. Such services were later expanded in paperless form and cross-city authorization.

Three entry and exit service halls opened in districts to provide more convenience.

Permanent residency, long-term and port visas are available to high-level foreign experts, entrepreneurs, managers, technological specialists, students and overseas Chinese.

More than 1,600 foreign nationals have filed applications for permanent residency in Beijing since 2015, which is almost equal to the total number between 2005-15.

Also, a public information service platform was set up to help the local authorities create an efficient administrative system and build a healthy business environment.