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Beijing's role as a leading international city and host to foreign diplomats is set to expand as an area designated as the fourth embassy zone takes shape.
Beijing's three embassy zones were established in the 1950s, 1960s and 1980s and as of March 1, 173 countries had established diplomatic ties with China.
The third zone has seen Beijing house some symbolic establishments, including the US Embassy in the New Embassy Compound. This was the second-largest overseas construction project in the history of the US Department of State.
Currently, more than 98 percent of the foreign embassies, foreign representative offices of the United Nations, news agencies and 62 percent of the city's five-star hotels are located in the Chaoyang district.
The fourth embassy zone, located in Dongba, also in Chaoyang district, was planned, according to reports, on a 83.62 hectare site to accommodate around 20 new embassies.
When paying a visit to the Foreign Ministry in January, Wu Guiying, Party chief of Chaoyang district, confirmed that the relocation mission to pave the way for the fourth embassy zone had been concluded.
The Chaoyang district is working with the municipal departments to bring forward the construction of infrastructure, Wu told Zhang Yesui, executive vice-foreign minister.
Zhang said the district is "highly internationalized and is attractive to foreigners", and he extended his appreciation to efforts undertaken by the district to build the new zone.
Establishing the zone has been a project stretching back a decade.
In a five-year plan approved in 2006 by the district local government, the zone was suggested to become a complex that accommodates "public services, commercial and financial, cultural and sports buildings".
The project picked up speed four years ago as a construction plan was confirmed.
In January 2012, the then foreign minister Yang Jiechi told visiting Party secretary of the district that Chaoyang enjoys a high level of internationalization, and its "resources regarding embassies is unique within the country".
Also in the same month, Cheng Lianyuan, the then head of the district, confirmed that the fourth embassy zone "has been planned to be located at the Dongba area in the district".
Property prices in Dongba have surged as construction work in the zone gets underway.
In addition to diplomatic staff, the city is hosting a record number of international conferences and exhibitions, according to senior municipal officials.
Song Yu, head of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, said as the international economy is suffering from sluggishness, "Beijing has subscribed to a range of policies, including 72-hour visa free transfer in the city and tax refund, in order to introduce more international conferences and attract more delegates and attendees".
