Tianjin FTZ pushes for building of free port

Tianjin, a coastal city in northern China, is stepping up its efforts to build a high-standard pilot free trade zone and apply for the establishment of a free port to further drive the joint development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the zone's administration said.

In an email interview with China Daily, the administration revealed that it has, following detailed research and discussion, drafted and revised the construction plan of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei free port, which would further integrate regional development.

The plan will be submitted to the higher authorities "in due course", it said. If it is approved, the blueprint for the free port would serve as a platform for the region to open further to the outside world.