As pointed out in a report to the 20th CPC National Congress in October, China must fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, continue reforms to develop the socialist market economy, promote high-standard opening up, and accelerate efforts to foster a new pattern of development that is focused on the domestic economy and features positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows, which demonstrates China's strong confidence and firm determination in high-level opening-up.

Tianjin, a port city in North China, has been developing with an open mind thanks to its marine opportunities. In modern times, the coastal city, also known as the "Pearl of the Bohai Sea", has been shining with its pioneering spirit and thriving due to reform and opening up. 

In the new era, Tianjin is positioned as a "pilot zone for reform and opening up". With its mission in mind, Tianjin is unswervingly committed to promoting reform, opening-up, and innovation.

Since 2018, the city has carried out a series of measures to streamline government procedures, make them more convenient and professional, and provide a more business-friendly environment. 

In May, the China (Tianjin) Free Trade Zone ushered in another major reform of milestone significance — market entities that can be registered through administrative confirmation, instead of being licensed. The local registration authorities have further delegated more decision-making powers to market entities.

In addition, Tianjin has made new strides in various fields over the previous years. In July, the delivery of the aircraft leased by the city's Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone (DFTP) had reached 2,000, helping it grow into the world's second largest aviation leasing hub.

The Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA), has developed an industrial system consisting of the new generation of information technology, medicine and health, automobiles and high-end equipment, new chemical materials and modern services.

In 2021, the area's import and export volume reached 260.3 billion yuan ($36 billion), including 138.86 billion yuan from imports, a year-on-year increase of 12.3 percent, ranking first in the country.

In recent years, Tianjin has continued to facilitate cross-border trade, and rolled out measures with Beijing's commerce department and customs to share the dividends of reform. In 2021, the customs clearance time for imports at Tianjin Port was 34.93 hours, 73.09 percent less than that of 2017, while the customs clearance time for exports was 0.74 hours, 96.46 percent shorter than that of 2017.

As the business environment improves, Tianjin becomes more attractive for international traders. Last year, the container throughput of Tianjin Port surpassed 20 million TEUs for the first time, setting a new annual record for the port. 

The port is now connected to more than 800 ports in more than 200 countries and regions around the world, through over 130 shipping routes.

The city has also accelerated its pace of going global. The China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone has become a model of cooperation between China and Africa. The Luban Workshop program, initiated by Tianjin, helps promote its achievements of vocational education to the rest of the world. The China-Europe freight train services serve as a new bridge for the city’s foreign trade.

Meanwhile, many domestic and overseas enterprises explored business opportunities in Tianjin through investment projects.

In May, the first batch of 33 graduates from China, the US, South Korea and Uzbekistan obtained their master’s degree at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music Juilliard Graduate School, which is a cultural exchange landmark program of Tianjin.