Tianjin is set to spearhead new urban renewal projects, with plans to upgrade around 180 old communities in urban and suburban areas, Mayor Zhang Gong announced during the local "two sessions" on Tuesday.

Tianjin has placed significant emphasis on urban renewal, transforming old communities into vibrant ones driven by the growth of technological and cultural sectors. Recent successes in this field include the launch of the Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park.

This year, the urban renewal campaign will maintain its momentum, Zhang said.

The Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park, renovated from unsold buildings, is expected to attract leading companies in sectors such as brain-computer interfaces and pharmaceuticals. It will also receive strong support from renowned institutions, including Tianjin University and Nankai University.

Tianjin's achievements were recognized as a national model by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development last year, encouraging wider promotion across the country.

Additionally, Tianjin is preserving historical cultural relics and leveraging industrial heritage sites to foster modern cultural and technological innovation.

"For instance, a series of low-carbon, high-tech logistics facilities have been added, including the newly opened Square Industrial Park in Hedong district in December, which was renovated from the old Tianjin Materials Factory," said Chen Wenlong, general manager of Hedong District Urban Renewal Industrial and Operation Co.

Chen expects more than 300 companies to move into the new Square Industrial Park, generating a combined revenue of 1 billion yuan ($136.4 million) this year.

Xu Dexiang, a member of the Tianjin Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Party chief and general manager of Tianjin Unicom, said, "The company will boost its technological innovation and leading services, including the enhancement of 5G facilities to facilitate urban renewal."

Tianjin Unicom plans to accelerate the application of upgraded 5G technologies and build a 10-gigabit optical network infrastructure system in the city.

Focusing on key areas such as energy, power, equipment manufacturing and petrochemical ports within the industrial internet, the company will increase investment in technological innovation, with 5G factories as a focal point, Xu added.

Gao Shulan, a local deputy of the city's people's congress, and professor at the school of public finance and administration of Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, said, Tianjin is a city with unique characteristics that set it apart from others. When considering its historical development, it has inherited a legacy encompassing commerce, industry, financial services, overseas culture, and revolutionary heritage.

"In the process of urban renewal, it is imperative to uphold the continuity of historical heritage," she said.

She also advised that Tianjin could draw from international experience in its campaign of the urban renewal.

She noted that the provision of legal frameworks -- guiding actions through established laws and regulations; ensuring adequate financial investment; robust social engagement as well as public support --Through societal involvement, additional funding can be secured.

yangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn