● Zhongguancun originated from Electronic Street in the early 1980s (January 1983 -- April 1988)

On October 23, 1980, Chen Chunxian, a researcher from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences who had been to Silicon Valley for reference twice before, together with six technical personnel, established the Advanced Technology Development Service Department of Beijing Plasma Society with the support of Beijing Municipal Association for Science and Technology, which had opened the prelude of the technical personnel facing the market and starting their own business. Around 1984, there were a number of technical personnel in Zhongguancun area who "xiahai" (go into business) to do business, exploring ways to transform S&T achievements into productive forces by establishment of private S&T enterprises. By 1987, nearly 100 S&T enterprises represented by four companies (namely, STONE Company, BOCOIter-telecome Company, Sciencesea Electronics Company, and Jinghai Electronic Technology Company) gathered in the area from Baishi Bridge along Baiyi Road (today's Zhongguancun Street) to Chengfu Road and Zhongguancun Road in the north to Haidian Road, and to Xueyuan Road in the east, forming the capital letter "F" type area, known as the "Electronic Street".

● Beijing New Technology Industry Development Experimental Area Period (May 1988 -- May 1999)

On May 10, 1988, the State Council officially approved the Interim Regulations of Beijing New Technology Industry Development Experimental Area, stipulating that, with Zhongguancun area as the center, an area of about 100 square kilometers is designated within Haidian District of Beijing as the policy area of Beijing New Technology Industry Development Experimental Area. On May 20, the Beijing Municipal Government issued the Interim Regulations of Beijing New Technology Industry Development Experimental Area, since then the new technology industry development experimental area was officially established. In April 1994, the State Science and Technology Commission approved Fengtai Park and Changping Park into the policy area of the experimental area. In January 1999, with the approval of the State Science and Technology Commission, the experimental area was adjusted again, so that the Electronic City and the Yizhuang Park were included in the policy area of the experimental area. Since then, the new technology industry development experimental area in Beijing has formed a spatial pattern of "one zone with five parks".

● Zhongguancun Science Park Period (June 1999 -- February 2009)

On June 5, 1999, the State Council issued the Reply on Issues Related to the Construction of Zhongguancun Science Park, agreeing in principle with the opinions on accelerating the construction of Zhongguancun Science Park and the development plan of Zhongguancun Science Park in the Request for Instructions on Implementing the Strategy of Rejuvenating the Country through Science and Education to Accelerate the Construction of Zhongguancun Science Park submitted by Beijing Municipal Government and the Ministry of Science and Technology. On August 10, the Beijing Municipal Government issued a notice that it decided to change the name of the Administrative Committee of Beijing New Technology Industry Development Experimental Area to Administrative Committee of Zhongguancun Science Park. On January 17, 2006, with the approval of the State Council, the National Development and Reform Commission announced the fifth batch of 20 state-level development zones that passed the examination and approval (No.3, 2006). After the adjustment, the total area of Zhongguancun Science Park is 23,252.29 hectares, including Haidian Park, Fengtai Park, Changping Park, Desheng Park (including Yonghe Park), Electronic City (including Jianxiang Park), Yizhuang Park (including Tongzhou Opto-Mechatronic Integration Park and Tongzhou Environmental Protection Park), Shijingshan Park, Daxing Biological Pharmaceutical Industry Base, etc., forming a spatial pattern of "one zone with ten parks".

● Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone period (March 2009 --)

On March 13, 2009, the State Council issued the Reply on Agreeing to Support the Construction of Zhongguancun Science Park as a National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone, clarifying the new positioning of Zhongguancun Science Park as a national independent innovation demonstration zone, with the goal of becoming an S&T innovation center with global influence. On December 23, 2010, the 22nd meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th Beijing Municipal People's Congress voted to adopt the Regulations of Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone, which stipulated clearly: "The Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone consists of several parks, including Haidian Park, Fengtai Park, Changping Park, Electronic City, Yizhuang Park, Desheng Park, Shijingshan Park, Yonghe Park, Tongzhou Park, Daxing Biomedical Industry Base and other areas designated by the municipal government according to the approval of the State Council." On October 13, 2012, the State Council approved the adjustment of the spatial scale and layout of Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone, which was expanded from 10 parks in one zone to 16 parks in one zone, including Dongcheng Park, Xicheng Park, Chaoyang Park, Haidian Park, Fengtai Park, Shijingshan Park, Mentougou Park, Fangshan Park, Tongzhou Park, Shunyi Park, Daxing-Yizhuang Park, Changping Park, Pinggu Park, Huairou Park, Miyun Park, Yanqing Park and other parks.