Tianjin is a metropolis in northern coastal Mainland China and one of the four national central cities of the country. In terms of urban population, Tianjin is the fourth largest in China, after Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou. It is governed as one of the four direct-controlled municipalities of the PRC and is thus under direct administration of the central government. Tianjin borders Hebei Province and Beijing Municipality, bounded to the east by the Bohai Gulf portion of the Yellow Sea. Part of the Bohai Economic Rim, it is the largest coastal city in northern China. Below is a guide on doing business in Tianjin.
1. Geographic Location
Tianjin is located along the west coast of the Bohai Gulf, looking out to the provinces Shandong and Liaoning across those waters, bordered by Beijing 120 kilometres to the northwest, and except for the east, is surrounded on all sides by Hebei. It lies at the northern end of the Grand Canal of China, which connects with the Yellow River and Yangtze River. The municipality is generally flat, and swampy near the coast.
Located in the center of Bohai-Rim, backed by the vast area of north China and facing north-east Asia, Tianjin, also called “Jin” for short, is an important hub for connections to more than ten provinces and cities in north China. With the Haihe River, one of the five largest rivers in China, crossing from north to south, Tianjin has long been renowned as ”Sea Inlet of Nine Rivers” and”Communications Center of River and Sea”.
2. Infrastructures and Transportation
As the sea port for vast areas in north and northwest China and also the east starting point of Eurasia Continental Bridge with the shortest distance inside China, Tianjin enjoys obvious transportation advantages and has established a well-organized sea, land and air transportation system.
(1) Port of Tianjin
Tianjin port is the world's top-level and China's largest artificial deep water harbor, and the throughput capacity ranks fifth in the world. Located in Binhai Economic Zone, a national new economic zone of China, Tianjin harbor is the port of call of international cruises visiting the wider area, including Beijing.
(2) Trams
Tianjin's harbor area of Binhai/TEDA has a modern, high speed rubber tired tram system, which is the first of its kind in China & Asia. Constructed in 2006, this marked a return of the tram to Tianjin, which once had an extensive standard steel-wheeled tramway network. The original Tianjin tram network was constructed by a Belgian company in 1904 and opened in 1906. It was the first citywide tramway system in China. It closed in 1972.
(3) Airport
Tianjin Binhai International Airport (ZBTJ) is located in Dongli District roughly 13km away from downtown area. The city will also be served by the new Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing. Tianjin Binhai International Airport has 59 flight routes, connecting 48 cities, including 30 domestic cities and 17 foreign cities. Airline companies like Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Singapore Airlines Cargo and Martinair Holland all have flights to Tianjin Binhai International Airport.
3. Economic Situation
Tianjin is transforming into a hub city for international shipping and logistics, modern manufacturing and research and development. Nominal GDP of Tianjin has swelled by 2.8 times from RMB184 billion in 2001 to RMB505 billion in 2007. Tianjin pillar industries are electronic information technology, automotive, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, metallurgy and petrochemicals industries. The new coastal area, consisting of Tianjin Port, Tianjin Economic and Technology Development Area and Tianjin Bonded area, has attracted numerous world-famous businesses like Motorola, Toyota and Samsung. Globalization and opening up of the economy to the rest of the world have brought about remarkable benefits to the economic growth of Tianjin.
Tianjin has built up its competitive advantages in the investment landscape such as: convenient port transportation services, an open market, advanced logistic services, alluring preferential policies and having efficient government services. By the end of 2004, more than 118 countries and regions invested in Tianjin, setting up approximately 16,000 enterprises. Currently, Tianjin is developing itself into an eco-city, thus, bringing multiple prospects for investments in fixed assets in the subsequent time periods.
4. Catalogue of Encouraged Foreign Investment Industries of Tianjin
1. Electronic information industry: wireless communication, new type of components and devices, computer peripheral equipment, software, IC, digital audio-video devices, optical communication products and auto electronics.
2. Automobile industry: environmental-friendly economic car, medium and high-grade car, light car, parlor car, car engine and automobile parts.
3. Chemical industry: petrochemical industry, ocean chemical industry, C1 chemical industry, comprehensive energy utilization and recycle industry; plastics, fiber, rubber and fine chemical products; and chlor-alkali chemical products.
4. Metallurgical industry: Top quality steel products and high-grade metal products.
5. Biochemical technology and modern pharmaceutical industry: modern Chinese traditional medicine, pharmaceutical chemicals and bioengineering pharmaceuticals.
6. New energy and environmental protection industry: low power and dynamic lithiumion cell, Ni-MH and fuel cell, battery materials; OPTO-mechatronics battery equipment; sewage water treatment, recycle, regeneration and utilization equipment; atmospheric pollution disposal technologies and complete equipment; new environmental protection materials, waste disposal facilities and resource utilization equipment.
7. Equipment manufacturing industry, shipbuilding and airport equipment manufacturing.
8. High and new technology industry.
9. Textile products, garment, light industrial and consumer products, modern foods, home appliances, bicycles, card-making and anti-fake printing, and precision instrument.
10. Modern service industries: international trade, modern logistics, tourism, regional financial services, information and technology services, trade, intermediary services, cultural services, community services and real estate.
Contact Us
If you have further inquires, please do not hesitate to contact Tannet at anytime, anywhere by simply visiting Tannet’s website english.tannet-group.com, or calling Hong Kong hotline at 852-27826888 or China hotline at 86-755-82143422, or emailing to tannet-solution@hotmail.com. You are also welcome to visit our office situated in 16/F, Taiyangdao Bldg 2020, Dongmen Rd South, Luohu, Shenzhen.
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