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Read in Chinese

Speakers: 

Mr. Zhang Gong, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Tianjin Municipal Committee and mayor of Tianjin 

Mr. Liu Guiping, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee and executive vice mayor of Tianjin

Ms. Shen Lei, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee and director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee

Mr. Dai Yongkang, director of the Tianjin Development and Reform Commission

Chairperson:

Mr. Chen Wenjun, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

April 3, 2024

Chen Wenjun:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, we are holding the sixth briefing in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." We have invited Mr. Zhang Gong, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Tianjin Municipal Committee and mayor of Tianjin, to brief you on striving for excellence in four key areas and contributing Tianjin's efforts to advance Chinese modernization, and to take your questions. Also present today are Mr. Liu Guiping, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee and executive vice mayor of Tianjin; Ms. Shen Lei, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee and director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee; and Mr. Dai Yongkang, director of the Tianjin Development and Reform Commission.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Zhang for his introduction. 

Zhang Gong:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. It's a great pleasure to have this opportunity to brief you on Tianjin's development. First of all, I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for your long-term support for and interest in Tianjin's work.

Ahead of last Spring Festival, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Tianjin and guided relevant work, delivering an important speech where he put forward the crucial requirement of striving for excellence in four key areas (namely fostering new quality productive forces, further deepening reform and opening up across the board, promoting cultural inheritance, and making urban governance more modernized). This has pointed out the direction and injected strong momentum for Tianjin to pursue high-quality development on the new journey.

Over the past year, focusing on the central task of economic growth and the top priority of high-quality development, we have further implemented 10 initiatives, such as striving for solid progress in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, supporting and guiding the high-quality development of the Binhai New Area, promoting port-industry-city integrated development, and invigorating the city through science, education and workforce. These efforts have yielded positive results in several aspects:

First, stability and effectiveness have been further improved. Last year, Tianjin's GDP increased by 4.3%, with general public budget revenue rising by 9.8% and tax revenue by 17.2%. In the first quarter of this year, the general public budget revenue grew by 7.3%. Second, momentum for progress has been further accumulated. Accelerated advancement was observed in several key projects such as the second final assembly line of the Airbus A320 series aircrafts , the 12-inch production line of the Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), the 1.2 million-ton ethylene program of INEOS and Sinopec , and Novo Nordisk's capacity expansion. Last year, the number of market entities in Tianjin increased by 7.9%, and Tianjin Port's container throughput reached 22.18 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). In the first quarter of this year, container throughput increased by 7.2%. R&D spending across Tianjin has reached 3.49% of GDP, and the Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park is thriving, fostering an increasingly vibrant atmosphere for innovation and entrepreneurship. Third, positive expectations have become more evident. A number of centrally administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs), financial institutions, leading private businesses, and multinational corporations have actively engaged in cooperation discussions in Tianjin. An array of important exhibitions and competitions have been held in the city, such as the 14th Summer Davos Forum, the World Intelligence Congress, the 2023 Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo , the China Tourism Industry Exposition , and the 2023 China International College Students' Innovation Competition. In Tianjin, visitors can admire the beautiful scenery along the Haihe River, watch the sunrise at Dongjiang Port, enjoy the sea of blossoms at Wudadao historical urban area (also known as the Five Great Avenues), indulge in shopping at the Florentia Village outlet mall, and savor delicious local cuisines at the Northwest Corner. "Tianjin Flavor" tourism has further magnified the city's vitality and charm. The per capita disposable income of Tianjin residents exceeded 50,000 yuan (around $6,912) last year, with public services becoming more balanced and accessible.  

Moving forward, we will bear in mind the expectations of General Secretary Xi Jinping, anchor ourselves to the goal of building a modern socialist metropolis in all respects, and strive to pursue Chinese modernization and high-quality development, thereby consistently showcasing Tianjin's new accomplishments. The main aspects of our work are:

First, we will focus on urban integration and continue striving to make solid progress in the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. We will deepen institutional innovation for coordinated development, and constantly improve joint contribution and sharing of public and market-oriented services. We will proactively serve the relieving of Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as China's capital, and place greater emphasis on allocating and attracting market-oriented resources. In addition, we will leverage the role of the Binhai New Area as a strategic cooperation function zone, achieving its coordinated development with Xiong'an New Area and Beijing municipal administrative center while highlighting their own distinct strengths . By increasing synergy in scientific and technological (sci-tech) innovation and integration of industrial systems, we aim to apply more sci-tech advances and make industrial support more efficient within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. We will continuously enhance the region's service efficiency in railways and waterways, so as to make personnel exchanges more convenient as well as internal and external logistics circulation more efficient.

Second, we will concentrate on sci-tech innovation and industrial rejuvenation, and strive for excellence in fostering new quality productive forces. We will work to nurture the function of cities in promoting sci-tech innovation and applying the advancements, and build a regional center for application of sci-tech advances based on relevant resources and manufacturing supporting. We will deepen collaboration between Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park and various innovative resources in the capital, strengthen the cultivation of a market-oriented sci-tech service system and policy support, thus moving more sci-tech advances from labs to production lines in and out the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Moreover, we will actively attract national strategic sci-tech forces to establish a presence in Tianjin, facilitate the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries according to local conditions, and capitalize on strengths and avoid weaknesses to foster and expand emerging industries, thus constructing a modern industrial system in an orderly manner. 

Third, we will center on optimizing the business environment and institutional opening-up, and strive for excellence in further deepening reform and opening-up across the board. We will unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector, and to encourage, support, and guide development of the non-public sector, promote the reform and development of SOEs on a categorized basis, and build up the private sector. With the aim of better serving market entities, we will introduce a series of scenarios to efficiently handle matters. To energize the vitality of sci-tech innovation personnel and enterprises, we will upgrade the policies for Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park. Leveraging the advantages of ports, comprehensive bonded zones, pilot free trade zones and the comprehensive pilot program for service sector opening, we will intensify exploratory efforts in the pilot program for institutional opening-up in such fields as sci-tech finance, "bonded plus," financial leasing, shipping services, exhibition services and cross-border data flows. 

Fourth, we will spotlight protection and utilization, and yield remarkable results in promoting cultural preservation and development. We will steadfastly follow the principles of cultivating culture, enriching people's lives through culture, enhancing the city's cultural vibrancy, and driving industrial development with cultural initiatives. We will improve the public cultural service system to better meet citizens' needs, promote the integration of culture and tourism, and accelerate the construction of distinctive tourist destinations, further enhancing the vitality and charm of the city.

Fifth, we will focus on ensuring residents' well-being and promoting urban governance modernization. We will prioritize ensuring residents enjoy peace and contentment in work and life. Based on the characteristics of Tianjin being a super-large city, we will expedite the development of refined management, smart governance, and participatory governance, and pursue a content-rich development path. We are committed to steadily promoting urban renewal, constantly increasing the efficiency of urban operational services, and enhancing the city's overall safety.

The development of Tianjin relies on the concern and support of friends from various sectors. We sincerely invite you to visit Tianjin, experience the optimism and openness of Tianjin's people, and feel the vigorous vitality of Tianjin's development.

That's all for my introduction. My colleagues and I would like to answer your questions. Thank you!

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Zhang. Now, the floor is open for questions. Please identify the news agency you represent before asking questions.

Hong Kong Bauhinia Magazine:

This year marks the 10th anniversary of implementing the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, a major national strategy. Can you elaborate on Tianjin's achievements in deepening and solidifying the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region? What measures will Tianjin take to promote the coordinated development of Beijing and Tianjin, as well as further expand the breadth and depth of cooperation among the three regions? Thank you.

Zhang Gong:

Thank you for your questions. I will address them now. This year celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development strategy. Over the past decade, Tianjin has focused on implementing this significant national regional development strategy, actively pursued integrated development to enhance Tianjin's growth, and significantly advanced regional coordination and integrated development with Beijing.

In terms of achievements, consensus on coordinated development among the three regions has deepened over the past decade, not only among government departments but also in enterprises and markets. Meanwhile, integration between Beijing and Tianjin has progressively strengthened, with high-speed rail and expressways drastically reducing travel times between the regions and facilitating the seamless flow of people. This mobility has spurred cooperation across various aspects. Currently, about 70,000 to 80,000 people travel between Beijing and Tianjin daily via intercity high-speed railways. The number of people living in Tianjin who are working, conducting business, or spending weekends in Beijing for leisure and vacation is on the rise. Such exchanges and interactions are bound to create new opportunities for cooperation at various levels.

Practical cooperation across multiple fields continues to accumulate fruitful results. Economically, market-oriented cooperation is expanding in various aspects, such as industrial complementarity, logistics collaboration, service expansion, and energy security. Many central state-owned enterprises like CNOOC, Sinopec, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, China Unicom, and CHN Energy Investment Group have expanded their presence in Tianjin. In terms of technological innovation collaboration, the interaction and empowerment among parks, enterprises, and technology service providers across Tianjin, Beijing, and Hebei are continuously increasing. Examples include the Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park and Zhongguancun. Entities like the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 360, Lenovo, and Zhongguancun Hardware Space Group Co., Ltd. are expanding their cooperative footprint in Tianjin. Regarding ecological governance, collaborative efforts in joint prevention, construction, and governance among the three regions are deepening in standards and measures. In terms of public services, measures like the direct settlement of medical expenses across the three regions, enhanced cooperation in public education, and the integration of social security cards have significantly eased the lives of residents in these areas and furthered city integration efforts.

Moving forward, we will make continuous and pragmatic efforts to expand cooperation among the three regions. We will proactively support relieving Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as China's capital, the development of Xiong'an New Area, and the construction of Beijing's sub-center, primarily in the following aspects:

First, our efforts will center on the development of city clusters, with an emphasis on enhancing soft connectivity through public services. We aim to boost cooperation in areas including education, healthcare, social insurance, elder care, culture, commerce, tourism, and transportation. By advocating for uniform standards in similar practices, we will make commuting and daily life more convenient for people in the three regions.

Second, in the coordination of scientific and technological innovation and the integration of industrial development, greater emphasis will be placed on nurturing the development of the technology service industry. We will leverage the unique role of market-oriented technology services in the application of technological advances and facilitate extensive collaboration within the technology service industry.

Third, in the process of actively helping relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as China's capital, attention will be paid to market-based allocation of resources and factors for talent introduction and cultivation. The government's macro planning guidance has been very clear and deeply ingrained in people's minds. Next, special attention will be paid to the follow-up of market-oriented resources. In particular, we will rely on Tianjin's scientific and educational resources, the policy space of the Binhai New Area, and Tianjin's own advantages in terms of public services and comprehensive costs. Efforts will be continuously made in market-oriented resource allocation, building mechanisms for sharing benefits, incentivizing the application of advances, and establishing market-oriented industrial supporting platforms.

Fourth, we will leverage the role of Tianjin Port as a shipping hub in northern China. In the process of advancing the integrated development of ports, industries, and cities, we will focus on cultivating and improving shipping services and functions, expanding domestic and international shipping routes compatible with regional industries, and optimizing smart custom clearance capabilities. We will make good use of policies in comprehensive bonded zones and free trade pilot zones, and enhance institutional openness.

The 10th anniversary marks a new starting point. We will take more pragmatic and precise measures, continuously seek breakthroughs in mechanisms, platforms, paths, and shared benefits, and better expand the depth and breadth of service to regional development. Thank you.

CCTV:

I just heard Mr. Zhang mention ten initiatives during his introduction, so I would like to ask you to elaborate on what the city has done so far and the highlights of these initiatives. Additionally, in which key areas and critical links will you introduce innovative measures this year? Thank you.

Zhang Gong:

Thank you for your attention to Tianjin's ten initiatives. Now, I would like to invite Mr. Liu to answer these questions.

Liu Guiping:

Thank you for your questions. Since the start of last year, Tianjin has been focusing on key areas critical to its long-term development. In line with the guiding principles of the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, the city has undertaken 10 initiatives to promote high-quality development, achieving initial success. Significant progress has been made in promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, with over 40 central government enterprises’ second level or third level subsidiary companies establishing themselves in Tianjin through market-based approaches. Industry and information technology departments across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region have jointly released industrial chain maps in six key areas. Furthermore, the Tianjin-Daxing Airport Intercity Railway was officially launched on Dec. 28, 2023, reducing travel time between Tianjin West Railway Station and Beijing Daxing International Airport to just 40 minutes. Tianjin Binhai New Area has given full play to its role in supporting and guiding the city’s high-quality development. Last year, the area's GDP saw a 4.6% increase, surpassing Tianjin's average growth rate. The State Council has also approved the establishment of the Tianjin Lingang Comprehensive Bonded Zone. Tianjin's cluster of marine engineering equipment industries has emerged as the important one of its kind in China. Remarkable progress has been made in invigorating Tianjin through science and education and in developing a quality workforce. The CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee and Tianjin municipal government have planned the development of Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park in a holistic manner. So far, the number of registered businesses has exceeded 1,500. Tianjin's R&D spending accounts for 3.49% of its GDP, and the ratio ranks third in the country. The metropolis was ranked 18th globally in the Nature Index Science Cities 2023. The integrated development of our port, industry, and city has enhanced the supporting capacity of the port, accelerated the development of port-related industries, and injected fresh vitality into the port city. Mr. Zhang just mentioned that last year, container throughput at Tianjin Port reached 22.18 million TEUs, an increase of 5.5% year on year, ranking eighth in the world. We have sped up the high-quality development of manufacturing with intensified efforts. Twelve well-designed key industrial chains continued to grow. Their value-added accounted for 79.8% of that in industrial enterprises with annual revenue of 20 million yuan or more from their main business operations. The action plan for downtown renewal and upgrading has been implemented effectively and in an orderly manner. Work has begun on 14 urban renewal projects implemented last year with an investment of 9.1 billion yuan, covering a total area of 10 square kilometers. We have advanced all-around rural revitalization. Last year, despite the major flood unseen in Tianjin in more than 60 years, our grain output has remained steady at over 2 million metric tons for eight consecutive years. The number of new types of agricultural business entities exceeded 20,000. Thirty new demonstration villages on rural revitalization have been built. New progress has been achieved in green and low-carbon development. The annual average PM2.5 concentrations in Tianjin met the national target. Energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped by at least 10% from 2020. We have enabled people to enjoy a higher quality of life. The surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.4%. The per capita disposable income of residents increased by 4.7%. The urban-rural per capita disposable income ratio was 1.79, the lowest in China. This means the income gap between urban and rural residents in Tianjin is the narrowest throughout the country, laying a solid foundation for pursuing common prosperity and integrated urban-rural development. We have improved the quality and effectiveness of our efforts in guiding community-level governance through Party building, so that primary-level organizations are better able to carry out their work.

Frankly speaking, it is difficult to elaborate on all the data and practices related to Tianjin's ten initiatives in such a short time. I can only offer you a brief introduction. If you want to learn more about our achievements, we sincerely welcome you to visit Tianjin, as the mayor suggested. Moving forward, we will introduce innovative measures focusing on five key aspects:

First, we will focus on major national strategies. We will continue to explore the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the urban integration of Beijing and Tianjin municipalities. By enhancing innovation in systems and mechanisms, we will make coordinated efforts to promote the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as a collaborative innovation community.

Second, we will focus on developing new quality productive forces. After nearly a year since its launch, we plan to introduce version 2.0 of the support policies for the Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park. Additionally, we will devise an implementation plan for the high-quality development of modern service industries to encourage deeper integration of advanced manufacturing and modern services.

Third, we will focus on fully utilizing our city's potential. We will implement a plan to put idle assets to good use through a multi-tiered and categorized approach. Furthermore, we will continue to improve the city's facilities and its capacity to provide services.

Fourth, we will focus on expanding domestic demand. We will work to increase effective investment, promote consumer goods trade-in programs, and accelerate efforts to develop Tianjin into an international consumption center.

Fifth, we will focus on reform and opening-up. We will step up efforts to build a financial innovation operation demonstration zone, take actions to upgrade pilot free trade zones, conduct pilot trials in advantageous areas, and deeply involve ourselves in the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation.

Thank you. 

China Daily:

In recent years, Tianjin has made continuous efforts to develop itself into an international shipping center and a green port. In particular, the metropolis unveiled an action plan for the integrated development of its port, industry, and city. Could you please introduce your achievements and future plans in this regard? Thank you.

Zhang Gong:

Thank you for your question. I will once again give the floor to Mr. Liu.

Liu Guiping: 

Thank you very much for your interest in Tianjin. Tianjin, a city built by the sea, has thrived thanks to its port. In recent years, we have fully implemented the important instructions given by General Secretary Xi Jinping during his inspection of Tianjin Port, thus accelerating the integrated development of the port, industry, and city.

The construction of a world-class, smart, and green hub port is advancing rapidly. We have launched China's first unmanned driving demonstration port zone and built the world's first "smart zero-carbon" wharf. Tianjin Port connects to three Eurasian continental bridges leading to Erenhot, Manzhouli, and Khorgos ports. We maintain economic and trade exchanges with over 500 ports in more than 180 countries and regions, offering 145 container shipping routes and operating over 550 monthly liner services. As previously mentioned, Tianjin Port handled over 22 million TEUs of containers and 558 million tons of cargo last year, ranking eighth and 10th worldwide, respectively. We are committed to the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Tianjin Port serves as a crucial measure of Beijing's business environment. To better support Beijing's development, we have established a Beijing-Tianjin coordinated port service center in Beijing. Additionally, we have aided the development of Xiong'an New Area by creating a service center in Xiong'an Comprehensive Bonded Zone. We offer 44 sea-rail intermodal transport channels covering the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and northeast, north, and northwest China. Last year, our throughput reached 1.227 million TEUs, placing us third in China in this category.

The supportive role of port-related industries continues to strengthen. Last year, Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd (DSIC) Tianjin Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.  delivered three 16,000-TEU container ships with independent intellectual property rights. The 1.2 million-ton Sinopec Nangang ethylene project reached the conditions for trial production. The Tianjin International Petroleum & Gas Exchange Center began trial operations. Last year, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port welcomed 85,000 inbound and outbound passengers, ranking first in the country.

The integrated development of the port, industry, and city is accelerating mutual empowerment. Leading shipping companies, such as China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, are expanding their presence in Tianjin at an accelerated pace. Last year, the company signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the municipal government. The company is expected to add two more ocean shipping routes next month. The development of the shipping service cluster zone is also speeding up. Last year, over 1,000 new shipping service enterprises were registered, up 13.5% year on year. The first Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo was held last year, enhancing the service radiation capacity and international influence of Tianjin Port. The expo will be held annually, with this year's edition scheduled for July.

Next, we will focus on building a key strategic hub in northern China to facilitate the "dual circulation" of domestic and overseas markets, and we will spare no effort in promoting the integrated development of the port, industry, and city. Specifically, we aim to make improvements in four areas, known as the "Four Enhancements." First, we will enhance port support capabilities by accelerating the development of multimodal transportation involving roads, railways, sea, and air, optimizing the loading, unloading and transport system, and improving port throughput, cargo handling capacity, and distribution capabilities. Second, we will enhance port operation levels by promoting smart, green, and low-carbon development with high-end cargo specialization, value-added services, and efficient management. Third, we will enhance the quality of port-related industrial development by fully utilizing marine resources, focusing on the development of port and maritime economies, and creating new business formats and models. Fourth, we will enhance the development of the port city by promoting urban planning, functional layout, environmental improvement, and business design to create a port city landscape. Thank you!

Shenzhen TV Zhi News: 

In February of this year, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region jointly released distribution maps of major historical and cultural resources, revealing shared cultural heritage with distinctive local characteristics. For example, Beijing boasts a rich heritage as an ancient capital, while Hebei is renowned for its Yanzhao cultural heritage. Now, I would like to know, what are the main characteristics of Tianjin's culture? Additionally, what measures will be taken to further leverage these distinctive cultural characteristics in urban development? Thank you.

Zhang Gong:

Thank you for your interest in Tianjin's culture. Now, let's give the floor to Ms. Shen Lei to answer this question.

Shen Lei:

Thank you for your question. You also mentioned the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from a cultural perspective. I understand that culture is the accumulation and continuation of history. Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei are connected geographically and share the same cultural heritage. However, each region has its own historical development context, leading to distinct cultural characteristics.

Tianjin boasts a 10,000-year history of human activity, a history of civilization spanning thousands of years, and a city history of six centuries. It is often dubbed "a window into modern China's past century" because it created over 100 "firsts" in modern Chinese history. Therefore, it is also referred to as the "gateway to the capital region, a hub of river and sea transport, an epitome of modern history, a frontier of cultural integration, the cradle of national industry, and the pioneer of modern education." Its unique geographical environment, where rivers meet the sea, coupled with the shifting dynamics of modern times, has endowed Tianjin with a cultural characteristic and temperament of "diversity, inclusiveness, fusion, harmony, openness, and innovation." This characteristic and temperament have deeply integrated into the fabric of the city's development and permeated the lives of its residents, shaping the city's appearance, personality, external features, and internal qualities.

For example, the "urban charm" of Tianjin is characterized by the Haihe River flowing through the city, imparting a unique aura to the urban landscape. The historical architectural buildings on both banks of the Haihe River, commonly known as "small Western-style buildings," are diverse and distinctive, presenting a "world architecture expo" and bearing witness to legendary stories of many historical figures. This has given Tianjin a unique urban landscape blending Eastern and Western influences, and ancient and modern styles. The "cultural and artistic charm" of Tianjin is evident in its abundance of cultural celebrities and artists, being a prominent center for the development of various art forms such as Peking Opera, cross-talk, northern Chinese folk art, Ping Opera, and Chinese drama. Tianjin audiences love art and know how to appreciate the beauty of art, and the mutual interaction between actors, audience, and art has become a unique cultural phenomenon. The "humanistic character" of Tianjin is reflected in the optimistic, humorous, hospitable, and righteous nature of its people, which has become a distinctive cultural characteristic of the city. In Tianjin, you can experience the city's grand atmosphere, featuring both generosity and cosmopolitanism, blending the ancient with the modern, and offering a profound yet romantic feel wherever you go.

Culture is the soul of a city, representing its image and influencing its development. We will cherish and develop urban culture with greater care and affection, promoting cultural enrichment, benefiting the people, nurturing the city and fostering industry through culture. First, cultural protection and inheritance. We will preserve and utilize historical and cultural areas, heritage buildings, and intangible cultural heritage. Second, cultural transformation and presentation. We will delve into Tianjin's rich historical and cultural resources to enhance the supply of high-quality cultural products and services. Third, cultural branding and identification. By highlighting Tianjin's unique elements, we will strengthen Tianjin's art, literary, tourism, creative and time-honored brands. Fourth, cultural dissemination and exchange. We will share Tianjin's stories through various platforms and resources to spread its brilliance in cultural exchanges. Thank you.

Xinhua News Agency: 

Mr. Zhang mentioned Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park earlier, and we have noticed that since its opening in May last year, Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park has attracted widespread attention. What were the considerations in building the park? And what role will Tiankai Park play in Tianjin's development of sci-tech innovation in the future? Thank you.

Zhang Gong: 

Thank you for your interest in Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park. I'll answer this question. Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park gets its name from a combination of Tianjin University and Nankai University, and the name suggests "Tian Gong Kai Wu," an ancient book about technologies in the Ming Dynasty. We hope this platform can lead to greater sci-tech innovation and cultivate more leading figures in innovation and entrepreneurship, nurturing a mutually beneficial relationship between the city and universities, innovation and entrepreneurship. The construction of Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park is in line with the needs of the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the increasingly evident integration of Beijing and Tianjin, and closer collaboration in sci-tech innovation. It is an important measure in cultivating Tianjin's own innovation capacity, stimulating its technological innovation vitality and continuously promoting the development of Tianjin's new quality productive forces.

As Mr. Liu just mentioned, since opening in May last year, Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park has registered more than 1,500 technology-based innovative enterprises and introduced 225 technology financial and service institutions. In fields such as new energy, new materials, synthetic biology, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, precision measurement and brain-machine engineering, a vibrant innovation scene has been preliminarily formed.

Next, we will focus on building Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park into an influential source of innovation, a highland for regional technology achievement transformation, and an ecosystem of sci-tech innovation services. We will focus on policy services, technology services and professional services, develop and optimize the park, and continuously promote its quality development.

We will work on improving policies and support mechanisms in line with the rules for developing science and technology parks and market-oriented operations, focusing on stimulating the vitality of various types of personnel and institutions engaged in sci-tech innovation. We will introduce more targeted upgraded support policies for Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park to better nurture and attract innovative achievements, talents and investment.

We will work on cultivating a strong technology service system and creating a favorable innovation ecosystem. We will first nurture and leverage the roles of funds such as the Haihe Industry Fund, Tianjin University Jiuanhaitang Fund and Nankai Xinkaihu Fund, vigorously introducing market-oriented technology service industries such as technology and business verification, pilot testing, inspection and testing, and knowledge services to facilitate achievement transformation.

We will work on optimizing government services and further strengthening supporting services and policy coordination for sci-tech and talents. Talent-driven development is of great concern, especially against the backdrop of increasingly close integration in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. We will introduce an upgraded version of the "Haihe Talent" policy and promote the construction of a smart park service platform, launching more efficient service scenarios to continuously expand the application scenarios of technological innovation achievements in Tianjin.

We will work on promoting comprehensive opening-up and cooperation in Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park, strengthen cooperation with Zhongguancun and other advanced domestic science and technology innovation parks, and explore extensive cooperation with international technology service companies.

We will coordinate the implementation of the "one core, two wings and multiple points" plan for Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park. Currently, the overall planned area of the park is 80 square kilometers. We will orderly enhance the core area's functions in innovation driving services and expand the achievement transformation and basic supporting functions of the extended area, continuously improving the market-oriented operation and management mechanism.

Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park is a newly established science and technology innovation park. We hope that everyone will continue to care for and support its development. With everyone's help, the park will surely thrive and become a fertile ground for innovation and entrepreneurship. Thank you.

Hong Kong Economic Herald: 

We have noticed that Tianjin has introduced many measures in recent years to support the development of the private economy. Recently, Tianjin has also launched activities to visit and serve private enterprises. What are the typical practices Tianjin is taking to optimize the business environment and serve the private economy? And what are the next steps in focusing on the concerns of enterprises? Thank you.

Zhang Gong: 

Thank you. This is a very important question. I would like to invite Mr. Dai, director of the Tianjin Development and Reform Commission, to answer.

Dai Yongkang:

Thank you very much for your interest in Tianjin's business environment and private economy. As you mentioned, we have long been committed to working unswervingly both to consolidate and develop the public sector and encourage, support, and guide development of the non-public sector, treating private enterprises and entrepreneurs as our own family and serving the development of enterprises with care and affection. Last year in particular, we held a citywide high-quality development conference for the private economy and hosted the China Private Enterprises Investment and Financing Conference , and proposed a package of support measures addressing the concerns of private enterprises. Last year, the growth of the added value of the private economy increased by 4.5 percentage points compared to the previous year. There were more than 300,000 newly registered private business entities throughout the year, an increase of 13.3% over the previous year, accounting for 99% of the newly registered business entities in the city. The quality of our private economy development has also been relatively good, with tax revenue growing by 26.1%.

The term "our own" conveys a sense of respect and recognition, and it is the essence of our service and commitment. In the following steps, we will focus on addressing the concerns of enterprises and provide full support for the growth of the private economy. We will continuously optimize the development environment, provide greater room for private enterprises to thrive within major strategic implementations, ensure more stable expectations for private enterprises during comprehensive and deep-rooted reforms, and enhance precise services to give private enterprises a stronger sense of accomplishment. We will demonstrate a clear stance of support for "our own," employ effective measures in service delivery, fulfill our commitments, and enable businesses to benefit and gain confidence. Our efforts to promote the development of the private economy will primarily revolve around three aspects:

First, support should be substantial. We aim to expand the space for the development of the private economy, create more opportunities, and provide a broader stage. This support includes assisting large enterprises in participating in Tianjin's major projects and key tasks, as well as facilitating the integration of small- and medium-sized private enterprises into the industrial chain so as to provide necessary support and complement large enterprises and major projects. This will empower all types of business entities to actively contribute in various areas, including major project construction, technological innovation, industrial cluster development, and domestic and international market expansion.

Second, actions should be prompt. We deeply understand that time is a cost for businesses. Therefore, we will intensify efforts to reform the business environment and further enhance the delegation of powers to streamline administration. Building upon the foundation of removing barriers to market entry, we will address the challenges faced in business operations. This includes promoting the direct cancellation of approval requirements, shifting from approval-based processes to record-filing systems, implementing commitment-based notifications, and optimizing the classification of approval services. We will vigorously promote initiatives such as immediate processing, one-stop services, online procedures, and integrated solutions. Furthermore, we will continue to advance online problem-solving measures in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, aiming to reduce time costs for enterprises.

Third, services should be delivered with warmth. We will continue to carry out various activities, such as visiting and serving enterprises, to keep in close contact with private businesses. We aim to truly fulfill our role as guardians of enterprise development, facilitators of resource connections, and providers of attentive and reliable services. Additionally, we will vigorously promote the spirit of Tianjin merchants in the new era, striving to create a positive social atmosphere that respects entrepreneurs and innovators.

That concludes my introduction. Thank you.

Guangming Daily: 

Tianjin is a national advanced manufacturing research and development base. Airbus's second assembly line and Lenovo's innovation industry park have already been established in Tianjin. Industries such as intelligent technology, green petrochemicals, automobiles, and equipment manufacturing are also witnessing accelerated growth. What new initiatives has Tianjin implemented to promote industrial revitalization and accelerate the development of new quality productive forces? Thank you.

Dai Yongkang:

Thank you for your attention. As we all know, Tianjin is a key industrial city in modern China, and the central government has designated it as a national advanced manufacturing research and development base. This recognition highlights the advantages of Tianjin's industrial foundation and provides a path and direction for us to promote industrial revitalization and develop new quality productive forces based on local conditions.

Tianjin boasts a solid foundation and advantages in the manufacturing sector. We are home to 38 national engineering research centers, 77 national enterprise technical centers, 28 national champions in specific fields, and 253 "little giant" enterprises with high growth potential, advanced technology and strong market competitive edge as well as single-product specialists. Tianjin has also nurtured a batch of new research and development institutions that integrate scientific research, industry and finance, such as the Tianjin Research Institute for Advanced Equipment of Tsinghua University,  Peking University (Tianjin Binhai) New Generation Information Technology Research Institute , and Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biomedicine. Moreover, the city has established 10 major industry talent innovation and entrepreneurship alliances, connecting 100 universities and research institutes, 75 academicians and experts, and 1,700 leading entrepreneurs. Additionally, Tianjin has gathered a workforce of 35,000 engineers. These factors provide robust support for promoting industrial revitalization and developing new quality productive forces. Going forward, they are expected to play an even greater role.

Next, we will focus on four areas of work. We will strengthen our efforts in leading, traditional, emerging, and future industries. We will use sci-tech innovation to lead industrial innovation, enhance the driving force of industrial development through industrial innovation, and promote the manufacturing industry's high-end, intelligent and green development.

The focus of our leading industries is to move towards the high-end segment. Concerning our traditional leading industries, such as green petrochemicals, automobiles, and equipment manufacturing, we will vigorously enhance the supply capacity of high-end products, the localization rate of key components, and the level of cluster development. For example, in the important value chain of green petrochemicals, we are promoting the development of a high-end and refined chemical chain. We are accelerating the construction and operation of projects like a 1.2 million-ton ethylene project , as well as the Zhejiang NHU Co., Ltd. and Henghe projects, aiming to establish the Nangang Chemical Materials Base and a green petrochemical industrial cluster.

The focus of our traditional industries is quality improvement and upgrading. We are accelerating intelligent transformation, digitalization and networked integration in areas such as metallurgy, the light industry, and traditional Chinese medicine. This effort aims to drive equipment renewal, process upgrading, and digital empowerment, as well as enhance the quality and efficiency of development.

The focus of our emerging industries is to accelerate their growth and expansion. We are cultivating a number of strategic emerging industry clusters characterized by strong innovation capabilities, unique strengths, and high concentration in fields such as computing power, information technology, and integrated circuits. For example, in the information technology and creative industry that we are currently promoting, we are enhancing the "PK" system, which is built around the Phytium central processing unit and Kylin operating system. We are implementing the "Double Hundred Project" with 100 products and 100 application scenarios in the information technology and creative industry, aiming to establish Tianjin as a leading force and a demonstration leader in this field.

The focus of our future industries is to seize opportunities. We will accelerate our efforts in areas such as artificial intelligence, biomanufacturing and life sciences to establish a strong presence and explore new pathways for developing new quality productive forces. Thank you.

N Video from Nanfang Metropolis Daily:

Last year, as part of the economic endeavors, cities across the country have been creating cultural and tourism IPs that have continued to gain popularity. Tianjin boasts unique cultural and tourism resources. Some netizens have said that eating breakfast and listening to Xiangsheng have become a must-do for travelers. Could you please elaborate on the distinguishing features of Tianjin when it comes to innovating new models and scenarios for cultural and tourism consumption? What are you considering to implement for the next step? Thank you.

Zhang Gong:

Thank you. I'll invite Ms. Shen Lei to answer this question.

Shen Lei:

Thank you for your interest in Tianjin's cultural and tourism sector. I have also noticed such statements online. In fact, there are many attractions and activities in Tianjin. Besides Tianjin's breakfast and Xiangsheng, as you mentioned, visitors can also ride in a carriage, visit foreign-style buildings, cruise along the Haihe River, climb Panshan Mountain, watch the sunrise and admire the flower fields. These are also must-do activities for travelers in Tianjin. In terms of natural resources, Tianjin boasts a combination of mountains, sea, rivers, lakes, wetlands and hot springs. It has the beautiful Panshan Mountain, the lively Haihe River, the vast Bohai Bay and wetlands that attract migrating birds. In terms of cultural resources, Tianjin has the thousand-year-old Dule Temple , the National Maritime Museum of China known as the "Forbidden City on the Sea," and the Beijiang Museum , which is considered a living fossil. There are also interesting folk cultures and traditional folk art such as Yangliuqing New Year paintings and Clay Figure Zhang . Visitors can enjoy delicious food and snacks everywhere in Tianjin, and the streets are filled with the bustle and hustle of daily life. If you explore Tianjin with a "city walk" on the weekend, wandering along the banks of the Haihe River or strolling through the historical districts, I believe you will have a sense of being transported to Europe. If you are interested in China's modern history, coming to Tianjin is definitely a great choice. If you are considering visiting Tianjin right now, I suggest you go to the Five Great Avenues to see the crabapple blossoms, experience an immersive performance in a foreign-style building, or visit Jizhou district to climb the Great Wall, admire the pear blossoms and have a rest at a homestay. I believe you will find it a worthwhile trip.

Currently, the cultural and tourism industry is showcasing unprecedented vitality, and the cultural and tourism market is undergoing some new changes and presenting new traits. We need to grasp the trends and respond to these changes. First, we need to adapt to the trend of deep integration of various industries. Tourism is not only an industry but also an important carrier. We need to promote the integrated development of cultural tourism with commerce, agriculture and sports as well as technology, leveraging digitization to empower the cultural tourism industry. Second, we need to adapt to the transformation of cultural tourism supply going from "meeting demand" to "creating demand." The current cultural tourism market has shifted from input-driven market to one driven by innovation . We need to increase the supply of cultural tourism products that are empathetic, immersive and interactive to develop urban, youthful and culturally rich tourism. Third, we need to adapt to the characteristics of the era of mass tourism. Nowadays, tourism has become a lifestyle and an experience for people. The development of cultural tourism depends not only on the sector's resources but also on the resources of the entire city. Therefore, we need to comprehensively improve the supply of cultural tourism products, urban management services and promotional efforts, leveraging all three aspects to create a culturally distinctive tourism destination. Mr. Zhang Gong has already invited everyone to visit Tianjin. We particularly hope that everyone will come to experience the charm and vitality of this city. 

That's all I have to say. Thank you!

Chen Wenjun:

Due to time constraints, we only have time for two more questions.

Yicai:

The China (Tianjin) Pilot Free Trade Zone is about to celebrate its ninth anniversary. Could you please elaborate on the breakthroughs and achievements made by the zone over the past nine years? Also, what are the new deployments to further advance institutional high-level opening-up and to strengthen industries? Thank you.

Liu Guiping:

Thank you for your question and your attention to the China (Tianjin) Pilot Free Trade Zone . The zone is among the second batch of China’s pilot free trade zones and the first of its kind in north China. In the past nine years since its establishment, we have strictly followed the intention of the country to establish the zone, focusing on building institutional highlands rather than “policy depressions” that simply rely on policy incentives to attract investment and enterprises and exploring successful institutional practices that could be replicated in other parts of China . We have always adhered to testing institutions for the country and seeking development for the region, firmly grasped the core task of institutional innovation and continuously launched a series of innovative achievements, effectively stimulating market innovation vitality and promoting the high-quality economic and social development of the city. So far, the zone has implemented a total of 615 institutional innovation measures, of which 42 leading and iconic innovation achievements have been replicated and promoted nationwide. For example, Tianjin's industries such as financial leasing, commercial factoring, parallel importing of cars and bonded maintenance rank among the top in the country. Our financial leasing, especially aircraft leasing business, ranks second globally, and the premium of our commercial factoring business accounts for 30% of the country's total. Now, the zone has 88,000 business entities of various types with an average annual actual utilization of foreign capital exceeding $2 billion and an average annual import and export volume exceeding 200 billion yuan. With only 1% of the city's land area, it contributes 30% of the city's foreign trade and 40% of the actual utilization of foreign capital, effectively playing the role of a "testing ground" for reform and opening up.

The next step in the zone will be to strictly implement arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and follow the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping to further improve and solidify the institutional innovation of the zone and to further test institutions for the country. There are several main considerations:

First, we will advance institutional opening-up to meet high standards. Aligning with international benchmarks, we plan to prioritize key sectors such as trade, investment, finance, intellectual property rights, and environmental protection. We will further promote the pilot programs of institutional opening-up, aiming to establish a robust system and regulatory framework aligned with high-level institutional opening-up. We will explore innovations in cross-border data flow regulations, pioneering the implementation of standardized classification and grading criteria for enterprise data within a free trade zone. Tianjin's successful practices, combined with practical application scenarios, are expected to be steadily promoted and replicated across the country.

Second, we will attract and cultivate advantageous industries with high-level capabilities. We will fully implement the "negative list + pre-establishment national treatment" policy, develop "bonded+", and leverage the advantages of ports, logistics and industries. We will effectively implement the bonded maintenance policy for tax-exempt imported goods, which will be repaired under bonded status and then re-exported. Additionally, we will launch pilot projects for bonded remanufacturing of automotive parts, and continuously deepen the construction of the "five major bonded centers." We will develop "finance+" initiatives, continually burnishing the image of financial services such as financial leasing, commercial factoring and free-trade accounts. We will vigorously promote "digital+", advancing cross-border data flow and expanding platform economy industry clusters, such as cross-border e-commerce and online freight. We will further develop "trade+" initiatives, continuously strengthening business formats such as automobile import and export, cold chain logistics and service trade.

Third, we will act to promote the high-quality upgrading of the free trade zone. We plan to intensify efforts in institutional innovation, bolster the nurturing of promising sectors, leverage the combined advantages of policies related to the free trade zone, the opening-up of the service sector, and comprehensive bonded zones. Focusing on enhancing national strategic capabilities, elevating our platform's level for opening-up, and improving the quality and efficacy of institutional innovations, we will expedite the launch of enhancement action plans for the free trade zone, actively driving the implementation of new institutional innovation measures such as healthcare and financial opening-up.

We have confidence that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, Tianjin FTZ will fulfill its predetermined objectives in this new historical phase. Through its own explorations, the free trade zone will undoubtedly facilitate Tianjin's reform and opening-up more effectively. This will contribute significantly to Tianjin's economic and social development, adding a significant stroke to the composition of the "Tianjin Chapter" of Chinese modernization. Thank you.

National Business Daily:

We know that Tianjin is a mega-city with a population of over 13 million people, and its residents are deeply concerned about various aspects of life such as employment, elderly care, education and healthcare. Could you please tell us about any new measures Tianjin has taken to ensure residents' well-being and to improve their quality of life? Thank you.

Zhang Gong:

This is a very good question. Ensuring residents' well-being and improving their lives are of paramount importance in the development of a mega-city. The ultimate goal of economic and urban development is to bring about a better life for residents. We will focus policies on the areas of people's livelihoods, extend services to cover all aspects of daily life and allocate resources toward improving quality of life. We will make concerted efforts to address practical issues directly related to people's lives, continuously meeting the new demands of residents.

In the fields of education and healthcare, our focus is on promoting balanced development. In education, we will further implement the project of radiating and leading high-quality educational resources in basic education. We will continue to expand the coverage of high-quality educational resources with plans to build, expand and renovate 12 compulsory education schools this year, adding 20,000 new student positions. In healthcare, we will accelerate the establishment of national medical centers at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Blood Disease Hospital and the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine . We will accelerate the construction of the Tianjin Hospital of Peking Union Medical College Hospital Phase II project and renovation projects, such as the Tianjin Huanhu Hospital . This year, we aim to complete the third phase of the Municipal People's Hospital, allowing the public to access more high-quality, efficient and affordable medical and health services.

In terms of "elderly care and child care," our focus is on strengthening service guarantees. Regarding the elderly, we will further develop the "Tianjin Elderly Care" service brand, expand care and in-home services for seven categories of particularly disadvantaged elderly individuals and continue to enhance meal assistance for the elderly to ensure they receive increased care and support. In terms of child care, we will persist in implementing the Child Health Enhancement Plan, intensifying monitoring and prevention efforts against childhood myopia, obesity and mental health issues. Furthermore, we will improve meal management in schools and reinforce comprehensive governance around school premises.  

In terms of social security, our focus is on safeguarding the bottom line of people's livelihoods. Regarding employment, we will explore and expand job opportunities, support flexible employment and provide assistance to those facing difficulties in finding work. In terms of medical insurance, this year we will raise the maximum reimbursement limit for outpatient and emergency services by an additional 1,000 yuan. Concerning housing, this year we aim to secure 5,000 units of affordable rental housing and construct 2,000 units of affordable housing for sale. This approach aims to gradually alleviate housing difficulties for new residents, young people and other vulnerable groups within the city.

In the field of urban renewal, our primary focus lies in elevating functional quality. We are directing our efforts towards upgrading business formats, enhancing functionalities and improving overall quality. This involves a concerted effort to enhance urban amenities and service capabilities. We have undertaken seven urban renewal projects alongside a batch of initiatives aimed at transforming urban villages. Moreover, we have initiated renovations and upgrades for 275 aging residential neighborhoods and are actively constructing embedded service facilities within urban communities. This year, we plan to install an additional 10,000 charging stations, facilitating the usage of electric and new energy vehicles. We aim to complete three rail lines, including the first phase of the west section of Metro Line 11, and to accelerate the transformation of Jinbin light railway . In line with resilient and secure city construction, we will thoroughly implement fundamental safety production measures, carrying out renovations of outdated gas, heating and water supply pipelines in an orderly manner by region and year. This year, we will renovate 623 kilometers of gas pipeline networks, 150 kilometers of heating pipeline networks and 30 kilometers of water supply pipeline networks. Additionally, we will harness technology to empower urban operations, thus bolstering intelligent supervision and enhancing the intrinsic safety level of the city. 

In short, we will diligently implement the 20 people-oriented projects that were established at the beginning of the year, aligning closely with the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee. Through these endeavors, we aspire to deliver tangible benefits to the residents of Tianjin. Thank you, everyone!

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you to Mr. Zhang and the other speakers. Thank you to all the journalists for your participation. Today's conference will end here. Goodbye!

Translated and edited by Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Qian, Liu Jianing, Zhou Jing, Li Xiao, Wang Yanfang, Mi Xingang, Zhang Junmian, Xiang Bin, Yuan Fang, Liu Caiyi, Li Huiru, Wang Ziteng, Qin Qi, Zhang Rui, David Ball, Rochelle Beiersdorfer, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.