Beijing, the world city

With its gross domestic product (GDP) per capita breaching the threshold of $10,000 (approximately 68,280 yuan) last year, the capital city of Beijing is well positioned to embrace bigger dreams.

After successfully hosting the Olympic Games in 2008 and celebrating the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China last October, it has become hard to come up with new goals that are just as inspiring.

But the blueprint that Mayor Guo Jinlong has presented to the 13th Beijing Municipal People's Congress to remake Beijing into a "world city" by 2050 provides us with a worthy aim.