As well as China's capital, the city has many more claims to fame, many of which have been earned in recent years. Beijing is epitomized by its numerous historical monuments and the center for international exchange. It is also known as China's center for scientific innovation. On Thursday, municipal officials said Beijing is accelerating efforts to build an even more world-class metropolis. 

As China's capital, Beijing holds much of the wonderment, mystique, and charm that foreigners and natives alike associate with the country.

With more than 3,000 years of history, Beijing is blessed with numerous World Heritage Sites such as the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall, and the Summer Palace.

At a briefing on Thursday, local government officials said in the past 70 years the regional GDP has grown from 280 million yuan to more than 3 trillion yuan – over 400 billion U.S. dollars.

Beijing has thus reached the level of high-income countries.

In recent years, Beijing has contributed to over half of the national major world-leading technological breakthroughs.

Industries such as energy conservation, integrated circuits, and new energy have become the driving forces of the city's scientific development.