The Binhai New Area in Tianjin serves as a strategic cooperation zone for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the core area of Tianjin's "One Base and Three Zones" initiative. It boasts a solid manufacturing foundation, providing a fertile ground for the extension of the aviation industry chain and the aggregation of high-value-added industries.

Additionally, it leverages the dual advantages of its maritime port and airport, utilizing innovative models such as integrated Customs clearance to create efficient and cost-effective logistics channels for businesses.

Under the leadership of flagship projects like Airbus, a large number of upstream and downstream supporting enterprises have gathered and developed, forming a resilient and competitive aviation industry cluster.

"In the future, we will continue to optimize the business environment through institutional innovations in the free trade zone, promote industrial upgrading and transformation, and inject strong momentum into the high-quality development of the regional economy," said Shan Zefeng, head of the Binhai New Area government.

Airbus' development in Tianjin is not isolated. Leading aviation companies such as Bombardier and Goodrich have also established operations there, making the bonded zone the largest Airbus production base outside Europe and an important aviation manufacturing and maintenance base in the Asia-Pacific region.

Global 500 multinational corporations in the high-end equipment-manufacturing sector, including Caterpillar, General Electric Healthcare, JLG and Honeywell, have also invested and established operations there.

In 1991, the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone was established as the second national and first northern free trade zone, providing an important platform for the northern region of China to attract foreign firms and deepen reform and opening-up.

Latest data from the Binhai New Area show that foreign-invested enterprises account for over 60 percent of the total in the China (Tianjin) Pilot Free Trade Zone, which comprises three special zones in Binhai New Area, Tianjin Port and Tianjin airport.

Companies from 150 countries and regions have invested there, forming industrial clusters in aviation manufacturing, maintenance, services, logistics and the low-altitude economy.

All of this has been made possible by the continuously improving policy environment in the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone and the entire Binhai New Area.

"The characteristics of our foreign investment are 'stable foundation, strong momentum, high quality and excellent service'," said Bao Jian, director of Binhai New Area commerce promotion bureau.

"To date, companies from 150 countries and regions have invested here, establishing over 20,000 enterprises, among which 240 Fortune 500 companies have invested in 2,161 enterprises," he added.

"This is the largest elevator factory among our 17 global facilities, and we love working here and making life better," said Judy Marks, chairman, president and CEO of Otis Worldwide Company. "I can't think of a better place than Tianjin."

With support of the development environment in the Binhai New Area, Otis has continuously expanded its presence in Tianjin, gradually establishing a comprehensive infrastructure from manufacturing facilities to research and development centers, driving its business expansion in China and across the Asia-Pacific region.

The 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) clearly states that China should promote higher-standard opening-up and create new heights of institutional openness.

Since its establishment, the Tianjin Free Trade Zone has taken the lead in implementing reforms such as "separation of licenses and permits" and "one license per enterprise", introducing more than 600 institutional innovations, 49 of which have been replicated and promoted nationwide.

Yan Caiming, general manager of PPG Asia-Pacific, pointed out that the government can create an excellent environment for enterprises, enabling them to provide the best products to society and the market.

Currently, 55 foreign-invested enterprises, including PPG and Unilever, have established R&D centers in the bonded zone, deeply engaging in local innovation.

Twenty-four enterprises, including Novo Nordisk and Otis Elevator, have established regional headquarters, development centers, and manufacturing plants or offices in Tianjin.

Bao Jian, director of the Binhai New Area commerce promotion bureau, emphasized that high-quality services are an important guarantee for attracting foreign investment.

Bao mentioned that over the past five years, the Binhai New Area has organized officials to visit foreign-invested enterprises every year, engaged in exchanges with enterprises through roundtable meetings, afternoon tea and other formats, and helped to solve more than 200 practical problems.

"This kind of service is very important," said Sang Shuo, chairman and general manager of Ehmann Alloy Materials Tianjin Co Ltd. "We hope that the economic development zone will continue to maintain its consistent advantages."