Tianjin’s Binhai invests 570 billion to shore up urban construction

The Tianjin Binhai New Area announced a hefty investment of 573.1 billion yuan($90.29 billion) to enhance urban construction and shore up district development in 10 major areas.

The measures are part of the city’s "twin towns" development scheme, referring to the city’s downtown and coastal town areas.

They also mean the city is making new efforts to reach a high-quality stage of development.

With 153 km of coastline on the eastern coast of Tianjin and home to Tianjin Port, a major northern China port, Binhai is an important area for the development of both the Bohai Economic Rim and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. It is also an eastern starting point of the Eurasian Continental Bridge.

The area is a national pilot area for experimental reform measures and the first free trade zone in North China.

The coastal district will boost its rail and road network, making sure transport is convenient and efficient both in and outside the district.

It will further focus on building the Tianjin Port into a world-class port, integrating its operation with the area’s airport. The measures are also expected to facilitate Tianjin’s goal of building itself into an international shipping core zone a during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).

The area will take initiatives in building a carbon neutral city, and take the lead in perfecting landscaping, ecological restoration, ecological barrier building, and “sponge city” development.

The investment will also bring updated urban renewal, social undertakings, new infrastructure, and more.

"We envision a new Binhai where public service capabilities and basic supporting capabilities will be significantly enhanced, the ecological and business environment continue to be optimized, and a livable and business-friendly beautiful area is created," said Shan Zefeng, deputy head of the Binhai New Area.