Someone once said that if you want to understand Chinese civilization for 5,000 years, look at Xi'an, for 1,000 years look at Beijing, and to understand modern China, look at Tianjin.
Pioneering City
Tianjin, a city of 15 million people located on the Bohai Sea, was one of China's bustling trading ports in ancient times. It became a centrally governed city in 1928 during the post-feudal period and continued to maintain this status after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Currently, Tianjin, along with Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, are four municipalities directly under the central government.
Having been under foreign control, Tianjin today is often regarded as a showcase of world architecture with its many different architectural styles. Some even say that one does not need to leave China, but only visit Tianjin to experience the world.
Tianjin city view
In terms of planning, the government is developing a “twin urban area” strategy, focusing important resources on two main centers: the old town focusing on developing service industries including finance, culture, tourism, etc., and the new urban area combining the maritime industry and modern industry, developing financial innovation, advanced manufacturing, and research and development, according to China Briefing magazine.
As one of the first cities in China to come into contact with modern Western civilization, Tianjin was a leader in industry, finance, commerce, education, and the military. In the early 20th century, Tianjin developed into the industrial, commercial, and financial center of the north. During that period, Tianjin was the second largest industrial and commercial city in China after Shanghai and the economic center of the north.
In 1978, after China began implementing the reform and opening-up policy, Tianjin became one of the first cities to establish contact with the outside world and achieved rapid economic and social development. Tianjin has witnessed more than 100 achievements in modern China, such as being home to the first modern university, the first public hospital, and the first post office. The Tianjin-Beijing Railway, which opened in 2008, is the first high-speed passenger railway in China, with a speed of over 300 km/h.
A district of Tianjin built like an Italian city
Dragon of the region
In 1984, the Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Zone (TEDA) was established by decision of the State Council, helping Tianjin attract more foreign investment. In 2006, the State Council approved the "Tianjin City Master Plan", with the goal of turning it into an international port city, a northern economic center and an ecological city.
A key part of the development of modern Tianjin was the decision to establish the Binhai District in 2006. Located on the Bohai Sea, east of the Tianjin metropolitan area, Binhai covers an area of about 3,000 km2 and was incorporated as a district of Tianjin in 2009. If Tianjin is likened to a dragon, Binhai is likened to the dragon's head and has been compared to Shanghai's Pudong New Area and the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in the south, according to The Conversation . The development of Binhai is included in the country's overall development strategy, and with its rapid economic growth, the locality is playing an important role in the economic development of Tianjin as well as the region.
Tianjin at night
In December 2014, Tianjin Free Trade Zone was approved as the first in northern China. The decision helped attract many “eagles” from the list of the world’s 500 largest companies to invest in Tianjin.
Tianjin enjoys an advantageous location as it is located at the intersection of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Bohai Economic Belt, and is one of the starting points of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor. Located on the shore of the Bohai Sea, the port is an important transportation gateway for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the landlocked provinces and cities in northern China. Tianjin Port is now the largest multi-functional port in northern China, with more than 133 cargo lines, connecting with more than 800 ports in more than 200 countries and regions.
On the other hand, Tianjin is also a pilot city for low-emission urban models in China, and the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Project is considered a pioneer project for building a zero-emission city. In recent years, Tianjin has also been striving to shape itself as a smart city and pursue development through smart technologies.
Cargo port in Tianjin
Kinh - Tan - Ky Super City
In 2014, China initiated a plan to develop the Jing-Jin-Ji regional cooperation bloc to better coordinate the trade and growth of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province (abbreviated as Ji). The combination focuses on developing infrastructure in Hebei, enriching Tianjin's industrial model and helping to relieve congestion in Beijing, according to CGTN.
Official figures show that Jing-Tan-Ji's GDP in 2022 was 10 trillion yuan ($1.46 trillion), accounting for about 9% of China's total GDP. Of which, Tianjin's GDP was 1.6 trillion yuan, 1.6 times higher than in 2013. Tianjin's per capita GDP in 2022 was 119,235 yuan, ranking after Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu Province and Fujian Province.
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