Tianjin has global ambitions for port

The State Council has approved a new round of expansion plans to further open the waters and shoreline in Tianjin. The project will see all the ports and docks in Tianjin open to the world.

"The plan will substantially lift the capacity of Tianjin port and help Tianjin become an international port city. Moreover, the policy clearly signals that the expansion will pave the way to facilitate free trade around the Bohai Bay Economic Rim and trilateral integration among China, Japan and South Korea," said Qin Haiying, professor at School of Economics, Nankai University.

East Asia, whose economies are growing faster than those of the European Union and North America, has fallen behind in terms of its integration level as it lacks an institutional framework for regional cooperation, Qin said.