Beijing has made major gains in economic reform, urban governance and social welfare in 2021-2025, officials said at a press conference Thursday, marking the high-quality completion of the capital's 14th Five-Year Plan.

The city became the first major Chinese metropolis to actively shrink its urban footprint and decouple prosperity from physical expansion. The shift supported economic upgrades, including six Beijing-based private firms joining the Fortune Global 500, the most of any Chinese city. The "two zones" initiative drove more than 400 reform tasks, yielding over 70 breakthrough policies and 80 innovations later rolled out nationwide.

Beijing also moved to streamline government services. The "Do One Thing Well in One Go" campaign simplified 105 key procedures, cutting processing times by 56% and required materials by 55%. At the same time, a new "No Unnecessary Disturbance" rule protects 550,000 low-risk, creditworthy firms from frequent inspections, letting them operate with fewer disruptions.

To address its aging population, the city built 152 regional elder care centers serving 2.07 million older adults. It opened 2,950 community meal sites and funded home safety upgrades for 62,000 households, while more than 530,000 of Beijing's oldest residents now receive priority family doctor services.

Support for young families has expanded as well. Beijing began paying monthly child care subsidies of 300 yuan ($43) per child for infants aged 0-3, with the first batch covering 286,000 children. Meanwhile, new policies have cut average fees for inclusive infant care programs by half. The city is rolling out more publicly funded kindergarten-based infant classes and community child care centers to ensure inclusive services in every sub-district.

These reforms reflect Beijing's strategy for its next phase of development: building a city that is not only economically dynamic but also more manageable, supportive and responsive to the needs of all its residents.