Largest Port City in North China Accelerates Revival Pace

Container ships flying flags of various countries are moored in the port of Binhai New Area in Tianjin, with cranes rapidly loading and unloading their cargo. Nearby, the Tianjin International Cruise Home Port has also been busy, having welcomed a total of 49 international cruise ships and accommodated 168,000 passengers in the first half of 2024.

All of this confirms the busy and booming scene in Tianjin, the largest port city in northern China, amid the central government’s call for “high-quality development.”

2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Tianjin Pilot Free Trade Zone (TPFTZ). Policies are to be carried out to further support the high-quality development of Tianjin’s Binhai New Area, according to a recent State Council executive meeting.

Tianjin, located 120 kilometers to the east of Beijing, is a witness of China’s modern history.

By the early 20th century, the city was transformed into an international metropolis, rivaling Shanghai in prosperity at that time.

Today, the city has emerged as a significant destination for foreign investment. Last year, the actual use of foreign investment in the TPFTZ increased by 18 percent year on year. More than 290 Fortune 500 companies have invested in the city.

Tianjin is also the world’s second-largest aircraft leasing base, accounting for one-third of China’s civil aviation leasing industry.

The New York-based Juilliard School has set up a campus in Tianjin Binhai New Area. Ellen Sirower, a 25-year-old New Yorker pursuing her PhD degree, told reporters that she would undertake her summer internship at Tianjin Juilliard School to enhance her professional skills and gain a better understanding of China.

“Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, we have proactively seized the opportunities brought about by economic globalization,” said Liang Yiming, vice director of the management committee of Tianjin’s Binhai New Area, while adding that “now we have reached a new starting point for development.”