Beijing's importance is not driven mainly by the government (although open-mindedness of the government definitely contributed to this), but by the ecosystem: b

Beijing's importance is not driven mainly by the government (although open-mindedness of the government definitely contributed to this), but by the ecosystem: best universities (Peking University and Tsinghua University among dozens of others) and best research institutions (the Chinese Academy of Sciences and research centers of big companies), most big VCs, IT communities/media, and most important, entrepreneurs. In Beijing, if you have time, you can attend some interesting IT meetup everyday. It is what you can not see in Shanghai or Shenzhen. Talk to somebody in Shanghai or Shenzhen startup community. You will have the insights.