BASIC FEATURES AND TRENDS OF THE ECONOMIC BASE OF BEIJING
北京经济基础的基本特点与变化趋势

In China, systematic studies on economic base of a single city is very weak. Based on the 1990 census and relevant statistics during 1991~1994, this paper is designed to study Beijing economic base systematically by comparing with those of Shanghai and Tianjin. The major conclusions include: (1) Beijing is not only the national political and cultural center but also the national economic center. The latter is reflected in the national centers of commercial service, external economy typed and knowledge intensive manufacturing industry with lower input of water and less environmental pollution, and it suits the need of the political and cultural center. (2) Although the industry with higher input of water and/or serious environmental pollution just are economic bases based on regional market, but this situation is not rational relative to Beijing's natural endowment of water and environmental resources. (3) Beijing's economic base of industry is smaller, more regional market based, and the economic base of service is more diverse, larger and more super regional market based than the Shanghai' and Tianjin's. (4) With the development of socialist market economy and implement of sustatinable development, the external economy typed and knowledge intensive manufacturing industry with lower input of water and less environmental pollution, and information intensive service industries will tend to concentrate further, and the industry with higher input of water and/or severe environmental pollution will tend to decentralize.