Beijing is leading in the opening-up of the service sector, insiders said.

It is being driven by the Integrated National Demonstration Zone for Opening up the Services Sector, which covers the whole city, and the China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone, covering an area of 119.68 square kilometers.

Official statistics showed Beijing received paid-in overseas capital worth $2.7 billion in January and February. More than 80 percent of that was from key fields in expanding the service sector's opening-up. This further drove the influence of the two zones, insiders said.

Overseas capital worth $1.39 billion went to the high-tech service sector during those two months, accounting for 51.6 percent of the city's total. The leasing and commercial service industry had used such capital worth $690 million, a year-on-year rise of 8.7 times and accounting for 25.7 percent of the city's total during the period.

The city saw 182 companies set up in key fields for expanding the service sector's opening-up during that time, accounting for 81.3 percent of new businesses in Beijing.

Since the two zones were approved last year, they have formed 30 nationally pioneering and breakthrough policies and projects. Several innovative and heavyweight financial organizations have settled in Beijing.

Since the Beijing Financial Court was established in March, it has become easier for overseas arbitral institutions and dispute settlement organizations to operate in Beijing.

SMC, a noted pneumatic device developer and maker, set up its first overseas headquarters in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing ETown, in Daxing district after the two zones' approval.

Representatives from the company said it took them just three hours to get a business license after they got corporate name approval from the State Administration for Market Regulation. Efficiency has greatly increased, they said.

Benefiting from policies designed for the two zones, the country's first wholly foreign-owned money broker was recently established in Beijing.

Legal services are among important fields for the city to boost the two zones, said officials from the Beijing Commission of Development and Reform.

To promote the sector's professional and international development, a policy was issued by related authorities on July 20.

According to it, work and residence permits for foreign legal professionals can be handled and received on the same site. Related organizations are to explore merging the two documents into one. The measures will also help to assist cross-border payment for legal services and improve judicial and administrative examination and approval services.

The policy also says it supports noted arbitral institutions and international commercial conciliation organizations to set up business agencies in the China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone. They can work on arbitration and conciliation in civil and commercial disputes involving foreign parties.

The document will aid in arbitration development and attracting more foreign legal professionals to work in China, officials from the Beijing Justice Bureau said.