Economy

Beijing's economy has changed greatly since the Communist takeover in 1949. The city has long been a leading Chinese commercial and transportation center, but its manufacturing industries were relatively insignificant until the 1950's, when the government began a program of large-scale industrialization. Today Beijing ranks as an important producer of iron and steel, machine tools, electronic equipment, farm machinery, textiles, and chemicals. Food processing and printing and publishing are also major industries.

An extensive network of railways links Beijing with other major Chinese cities and with Russia, Mongolia, and North Korea. The city is served by some of China's best highways and has an international airport. Also here is the northern terminus of the Grand Canal. The city has a modern subway system.