Dongcheng district has taken the lead in advancing Beijing's "twin-zone" initiative, which aims to build the capital into a national integrated demonstration zone for greater openness in the services sector and a pilot free trade zone, according to Lyu Hui, head of the district's commerce bureau.

The "twin-zone" strategy, launched in 2020, has delivered tangible results. As of June 2025, 1,044 projects have been registered under the initiative, including 177 foreign-funded projects. A total of 705 projects have been implemented, with cumulative investment reaching 232.96 billion yuan ($32.5 billion).

Dongcheng holds a leading position among Beijing's districts in attracting investment and advancing high-quality projects across multiple sectors, according to Lyu.

Recent milestones include the establishment of Morgan Stanley Futures (China), the country's first wholly foreign-owned futures company, with a registered capital of 1 billion yuan, in Dongcheng earlier this year.

In addition, the Beijing branch of Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank has increased its registered capital from 4 million euros ($4.68 million) to 6 million euros over five years. It also became the first in Beijing to receive additional fund quotas under the Qualified Domestic Limited Partner (QDLP) pilot program, securing a $300 million quota.