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The city of Tianjin is one of the four municipalities directly under the central government. Another three are Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing. As the biggest coastal city in northern China, Tianjin has always enjoyed the reputation of being the "Pearl of Bohai Sea."

Tianjin is a city rich in natural resources and superior culture. As the economic center of the "Bohai Sea Encircling Zone," this coastal, open and multifunctional city is home to a wide range of industries and sophisticated technologies.

Tianjin is on its way to becoming a more modern coastal city and an important economic center in northern China.

The total population of Tianjin is 9.526 million, including 3.693 in downtown area. Under its jurisdiction are 13 districts and 5 counties.

120 kilometers away from Beijing, the city of Tianjin has always been considered a strategic stronghold for, and a gateway, to Beijing. Located in the midpoint of the gold coast of northern China, it is a point of access to the sea for the northern and northwestern areas of the country. The biggest trading port of northern China, Tianjin Port possesses the biggest container dock of the country and is served by over 300 ports of 170 countries of the world over. The biggest cargo terminal in northern China, Tianjin International Airport has direct links with many domestic and international destinations. Tianjin lies at the crossroads of two trunk railway lines of Beijing-Shanxi and Beijing-Shanghai and is also easily accessible by roads. Tianjin is one of the eastern points of the Euro-Asian Trade Bridge, which was born in 1991.

Currently, Tianjin has become a port city that is served by an elaborate modern network of sea links, railways and roads.

Industries of Tianjin began to develop in the 1860's. At the start of the 20th century, Tianjin had become an important industrial base of northern China and the second biggest industrial city of the country as a whole. In the past over 40 years after the founding of PRC, Tianjin has developed into one of the most important industrial bases of the country. Of the 164 categories of industry that the government has defined, Tianjin has 156. Traditional industries such as machinery, metallurgy, electronics, textiles and chemistry have been contributing a lot to the city's economic growth. The past decade has seen the emergence of the city's industrial structure featuring four key industries of automobile, electronics, petrochemical products and metallurgy. This structure is also supported by some over 60 focal industries, including new-type building materials, plastic products, durable consumer goods, medicine, food, forage, packaging, etc. These developments are a telling evidence of the strength of the city's industrial expertise and resources.

As an important trading port, the city of Tianjin has trade links with over 160 countries and regions of the world over. 80% of its exports are finished products and the rest are primary products. Since China liberalized its economy, the number of foreign companies coming to invest in Tianjin has been increasing, and that has become a new addition to the city's economic growth.

The "Bohai Sea Encircling Zone" is an important player in the economy of China. The Zone contains 17 of the country's 450 cities. It has respectively 5.7% and 8.7% of the country's land area and total population. However, its GDP accounts for 11.56% of the country's total. Tianjin ranks first in economic strength in the "Bohai Sea Encircling Zone." The Zone was jointly established by Tianjin and other 16 cities in provinces of Liaoning, Hebei and Shandong in May of 1986. The joint meeting of the 17 mayors is held in Tianjin on a regular basis.