Tianjin's 'green city' plans taking shape

Tianjin took a major step in green city plans by signing agreements for 13 projects in cultural and creative industries, financial services and new energy manufacturing sectors on Tuesday.

The projects, involving a total investment of about 21.64 billion yuan ($3.46 billion), are expected to come up in the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City, and include the deal with Chinese online search engine major Baidu Inc for the largest literary work platform in China and another for an online game operating center.

According to a memorandum of understanding signed by Tianjin Binhai New Area and Canada Natural Resources last year, the two countries will join hands to build a low carbon and ecological demonstration district in the Tianjin Eco-City, near the upcoming National Maritime Museum and the Tianjin Oceanic Administration Center, covering 2 square kilometers, and with a total investment of about 10 billion yuan.

"Better environment, low operating costs and more business cooperation opportunities will help attract an increasing number of enterprises to the Tianjin Eco-City," said Yang Liu, director of the commercial bureau of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City.

During the past eight years, cultural and creative industries have been the pillars for the Tianjin Eco-City, with over 500 enterprises operating here, including Huayi Brothers Media Corp and Thinkingdom Media Group Ltd. In 2014, cultural and creative companies paid taxes totaling 540 million yuan .

"We will try our best to widen the range of businesses, from publishing and film manufacturing industries to Internet-related ones," Yang said.

According to Yang, under the integrated development plan for Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province, eight of the 13 projects that were signed with the Tianjin Eco-City are from Beijing.

"In the coming years, we will build three centers in the Eco-City, including a publishing industry center, a film manufacturing base and an industrial design center, to attract more cultural and creative companies," he said.

The Tianjin Eco-City will also set up a digital administrative approval platform for investors.

"Customers can use their iPad to finish all the application work," Yang said.

Kelvin Zhang, the group finance director of BlueFocus Communication Group, said: "In recent years, we have seen an increasing number of clients setting up ventures in the Tianjin Eco-City. To seek deeper cooperation and supply better services for them, we will build two new companies here with over 3,000 employees next year."

Moreover, better living conditions, business environment, and service platforms are also major attractions for BlueFocus and other cultural and creative companies to invest in the Tianjin Eco-City, Zhang said.

Xiao Jincheng, professor of the Institute of Special Planning and Regional Economy under the National Development and Reform Commission, said: "Under the national strategy of integrated development among Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei provinces, Tianjin and Hebei should strive to create a better investment environment and actively promote more business opportunities for enterprises, to attract companies from Beijing."