The 2026 Headquarters Economy Conference and (6th) Building Economy and High-Quality Urban Development Forum, a premier thematic session of the China International Fair for Trade in Services, convened in Beijing on September 11. During the morning's results-sharing segment, the unveiling and co-construction of the "Future Business District Innovation Development Practice Zone" took place for Nanjing Hexi CBD, signaling the official start of a systematic transformation exploration for a mature domestic central business district.
Chen Yuming, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy District Chief of Nanjing's Jianye District People's Government, who also serves as the Party Working Committee Secretary of the Jianye High-tech Zone, alongside Kuang Hongguang, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Building Economy and Headquarters Economy Branch under the China Association for the Promotion of Industrial Development, jointly unveiled the plaque. The ceremony was witnessed by Guo Fuhua, former Director of the Policy and Regulation Department at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Pi Jianhua, former Second-Level Inspector of the Industrial Department at the National Development and Reform Commission.
Following more than two decades of development, Nanjing Hexi CBD has established an expansive commercial infrastructure, gathering substantial high-quality resources in finance, technology innovation, headquarters operations, and modern services. However, like numerous mature central business districts in China that have undergone extended construction cycles, it has now entered a fresh phase of iterative upgrades and renewal.
The conventional CBD model, centered predominantly on singular office functions, often encounters challenges such as rigid industrial structures, a disconnect between business and lifestyle environments, and the tidal phenomenon of daytime vibrancy giving way to nighttime emptiness. Simultaneously, facing competitive pressures from emerging business zones, the old approach of competing solely on building height and physical scale has become unsustainable. In contrast, many newly developed business districts grapple with the growth dilemma of "having infrastructure but lacking industries, having plans but lacking vitality."
As both old and new business districts confront development bottlenecks simultaneously, the industry urgently requires a new development paradigm. The Future Business District Innovation Development Practice Zone aims to break free from the constraints of traditional CBDs' singular office functions, proposing an exploration of the CBD+CID+CED transformation path. This approach pursues the realization of three types of symbiosis: coexistence of new and old industries, integration of industrial-city life, and harmony of diverse scenarios.
The symbiosis of new and old industries involves retaining mature industrial foundations such as finance and headquarters operations while introducing emerging sectors like digital economy, technology research and development, and green low-carbon initiatives. This ensures a seamless transition between old and new growth drivers, preventing industrial aging and hollowing out. The integration of industrial-city life addresses the long-standing issue of prioritizing business over residential needs, supplementing consumer, cultural, leisure, and livability amenities to mitigate the tidal drawbacks of business districts. The symbiosis of diverse scenarios transcends hardware competition by cultivating composite environments encompassing industrial innovation, headquarters business, youth consumption, cultural arts, and green low-carbon initiatives, using scenario-based approaches to forge distinctive competitive advantages.
On the implementation front, the practice zone steadfastly coordinates three core initiatives: stock renewal, industrial revitalization, and scenario reconstruction. For the existing building stock within Hexi CBD, efforts focus on renewing and revitalizing underutilized spaces. Traditional advantageous industries are being upgraded, while future-oriented emerging sectors are introduced to complete industrial revitalization. Concurrently, scenario reconstruction is vigorously advanced, transforming static architectural spaces into dynamic, operationally viable vibrant settings.
In alignment with the theoretical framework of future business districts, these zones are no longer merely economic output hubs but also vibrant urban living rooms, balancing economic, industrial, talent, and social benefits. Governments, management committees, operators, resident enterprises, and communities collectively form a development community, propelling the evolution of traditional CBDs toward Central Innovation Districts and Central Activity Zones.
The collaborative construction of Nanjing Hexi CBD is dedicated to establishing an innovative model for high-quality development across national business districts. It provides a systematic, actionable solution for mature domestic CBDs to tackle industrial rigidity and insufficient vitality, and for emerging CBDs to resolve the dual challenges of weak investment attraction and low public engagement.
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