Shoppers pose for photos next to a statue of Argentina's football player Lionel Messi at a shopping mall on July 12, 2026 in Beijing, China. [Photo/VCG]
Beijing has accelerated its transformation into a premier international consumption center by rolling out diverse shopping scenarios, upgrading historic commercial landmarks and expanding high-level institutional opening-up to inject new vitality into the broader economy, officials said.
The Ministry of Commerce is currently prioritizing the integration of improving people's livelihoods with consumption stimulation measures through a dual-drive approach of supportive policies and dynamic activities, continuously building the "Shopping in China" brand to upgrade market structure.
"We are driving the structural upgrade of the consumer market by launching a series of vibrant campaigns to stimulate fresh market vitality," said Yuan Xiaoming, assistant minister of commerce.
"This strong momentum is clearly reflected in our robust figures. In 2025, Beijing welcomed 5.48 million inbound tourists, marking a 39 percent year-on-year increase, while household services consumption accounted for 59.3 percent of per capita expenditures, surpassing the national average by 13 percentage points."
