Tianjin - Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone

Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone (inclusive of Tianjin Free Trade Logistics Park)

Facts&Figures (2007)

Source: Administration Committee of Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone

Introduction

Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone (Tianjin Port FTZ) was established by the State Council in 1991 and covers an area of 5 km². The Tianjin Free Trade Logistics Park (Tianjin FTLP) was set up in Tianjin Port FTZ in 2004, with an area of 1.5 km².

Tianjin Port FTZ is located in the Tianjin Port Area, 1 km from the berths, 30 km from downtown Tianjin, 38 km from Tianjin Binhai International Airport, 140 km from downtown Beijing, and 145 km from Beijing Capital International Airport.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Tanggu Expressway passes through Tianjin Port FTZ. The zone also has rail links to the nation's major railway networks, providing convenient land transport. 

Tianjin FTLP is located in the northeastern area of Tianjin Port FTZ, adjacent to the container docks of Tianjin Port.

Tianjin Port is a major passageway for cargo transport. The cargo from Beijing, North and Northwest China have to be loaded on board in Tianjin Port, and then be delivered to other coastal regions of China or to other countries. In 2007, the port's cargo throughput reached 309 million tons, ranking fourth in China after Shanghai, Ningbo and Guangzhou, and sixth in the world.

Investment Climate

In 2007, taking FTLP into account, the FTP's GDP grew 47.3% year on year to RMB 30.1 billion, while its industrial output reached RMB 39.6 billion, up 55.2% from the previous year. Its utilized FDI stood at US$1.1 billion.

Within the same year, the total cargo value entering and leaving the zone reached US$ 33.1 billion, while the total export and import value reached US$10.0 billion. 40% of cargo originated from Tianjin, 30% from Beijing, and 30% from North and Northwest China.

The FTZ's main functions are international trade, port processing, logistics and distribution, and product exhibition and sales. Products encouraged include oil products, electronics, machinery and automobiles.

By the end of 2007, there were over 9,000 companies invested in Tianjin Port FTZ, of which, more than sixty were Fortune 500 enterprises. Major investors include COFCO, Sumitomo, Samsung, Honeywell, Sinopec, DaimlerChrysler, Itochu, General Motors, Mitsubishi, Daiei and Henkel.

Due to the FTZ's ideal transport system and large demand for cargo transportation, many logistics companies have also established their presence in the zone. They include UPS, Mediterranean Shipping, Maersk, YCH, Orient Overseas Container Line and Kerry.