Beijing, China
3 November 2014
Beijing, formerly known as Peking, is the capital city of the People’s Republic of China and the birthplace of the Chinese civilization.
Being the country’s center of Politics, culture, tourism and transportation; with dozen of railways, roads and motorways passing through the city, it serves as the powerhouse of the Chinese economy with its nominal GDP (gross domestic product) of US $247.7 billion recorded in 2011 and a per capita GDP of US $12,447. Its economy continues to grow with an average of 8-10% per year growth.
With a history stretching for over 3,000 years, the city offers a mixture of the old and new. From the breathtaking tourist sites of the ancient imperial civilization such as the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China, the city offers today’s latest architectural marvel with the construction of the Water Cube and the Bird’s Nest back in 2008 when it hosted the Beijing Olympics.
This year, the city prepares for the upcoming 22nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on 9-11November. The annual summit will be attended by 20 other head of states from different member economies.
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