Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the south. So, for hundreds of years and still to this day, much of its commerce has been
centered around port-related industries.
Today it's not really the most beautiful city you could visit. The constant trade and de-
velopment over the years have worn away at it and turned it into an often-polluted indus-
trial metropolis. As far back as the 15th century, the Ming emperors took a liking to it and
made it into a walled garrison, and by the 1800s it had officially claimed its status as a trad-
ing port. By the 1930s it had become northeast China's most important economic center.
Though Beijing has now trumped it on this account, that hasn't stopped Tianjin's progress,
and the government has long-term plans to continue its transformation into a major interna-
tional harbor as well as a key economic and ecological city.
This means the city has enormous potential for the international market. There are vari-
ous areas zoned for high-tech development, and financial incentives are being dangled to
try to attract foreign money and business. One of the most important zones is TEDA, or Ti-
anjin Economic-Technological Development Area (
http://en.investteda.org
), which is right
on the coastal area of the Bohai Gulf. The area is somewhat removed from the center of the
city, but infrastructure and lifestyle facilities are in the works to make life here more com-
fortable.
In addition to business, however, Tianjin also has a wide range of attractions worth see-
ing. There are the former European and Japanese concession areas to explore, as well as the
Huangyaguan section of the Great Wall, the Tianjin Water Park of China, Ancient Culture
Street, and the Dabei Buddhist Monastery. Tianjin also has its own sightseeing Ferris wheel,
the Tianjin Eye, which sits astride the Haihe river and gives you 120-meter-high (394-foot
high) views of the entire city. Another very enjoyable way to see the city is to take a cruise
along the river itself. In the 40-or-so-minute journey through the center of the city you'll
wind past clusters of interesting architecture, such as the buildings of the Italian concession,
and pass under an amazing array of bridges, each distinctly different, some trite copies of
foreign designs, others interesting glimpses into Chinese architectural styles.
For most Beijing residents, though, Tianjin's attractions are only enough to bring them
over for a day or two of sightseeing. Though transport between the two cities is cheap
and convenient, and rent is much cheaper in Tianjin (good two-bedroom apartments can be
found for around RMB2,500 per month), it's almost unheard of for someone to commute
back and forth for anything other than the odd short-term project or meeting.
