Pony.ai, an autonomous vehicle technology unicorn company registered in Beijing's Haidian district, is thriving in the convenient development environment provided by Zhongguancun Science City. The tech park provides access to a closed test field, open test roads, and intelligent network, allowing Pony.ai to carry out necessary R&D as well as enjoy preferential policies that support innovation and development.

File photo: CFP

"According to the related measures in Zhongguancun Science City, start-ups that carry out autonomous driving closed tests can receive a subsidy of up to 50% of the test cost. Additionally, those that carry out innovations in key areas of technological research and development can receive up to 10 million yuan in financial support," said a person in charge of the administrative committee of Zhongguancun Science City.

Pony.ai is just one of numerous typical cases in Haidian district of companies benefitting from multiple favorable policies.

Zhongguancun National Innovation Demonstration Zone is the core development area of Haidian district. Since Beijing received approval from the State Council in September to build a comprehensive demonstration zone for further opening up the service sector and a pilot free trade zone, favorable policies have tripled, giving full play to Haidian district and its competitive edge in terms of talent. The district is determined to further open up, expand international cooperation in science and technology, and foster the growth of enterprises so as to ensure the fast development of Zhongguancun Science City.

Haidian district has formulated a work plan to push forward its development. It will accelerate the implementation of four key institutional innovation policies, including building an international information industry and digital trading port, strengthening the use and protection of intellectual property rights, fostering an ecology that favorable to innovation and entrepreneurship, and opening up and encouraging innovation in the financial sector. All of these four aspects are now steadily progressing.

The district will also focus on the development of three key industries, namely, information, medicine and health, and scientific and technological services.

The district is home to five major technology areas, including the China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone Sci-Tech Innovation Area, Zhongguancun Software Park, Zhongguancun Dongsheng Science & Technology Park, Zhongguancun West, and Tsinghua Science and Technology Park. Many major basic research platforms such as national laboratories, artificial intelligence computing power platforms, and blockchain computing power platforms have also been deployed there.

Haidian district has made every effort to promote institutional innovations in four key areas. As a national digital service export base, Zhongguancun Software Park has developed into a national leading industrial cluster.

It also promulgated policies to promote the preferential income tax of technology transfer. One such policy is the increase of income tax exemption for technology transfer from 5 million yuan to 20 million yuan, which will help Zhongguancun Science City attract more R&D headquarters.

Haidian district currently has more than 10,000 national high-tech enterprises, 236 listed companies, and 40 unicorn companies.