Tianjin, Jin for short, is one of the four centrally administered municipalities in China. In ancient times, this area was part of the sea stretching to the horizon. The construction of the city began in 1404 in the second year during the reign of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Known as the Tianjin Garrison, it was a military base and an important economic centre. Tianjin was opened to foreigners as a trading port under the Convention of Peking in 1860.
Tianjin has become a hub of communications for North China and the gateway to the capital city of Beijing. It is the largest industrial city in North China and also the most important commercial centre and largest port city in Northern China. It is also rich in petroleum, natural gas and sea salt along the coastal area adjacent to the city. As one of China 's biggest industrial centre, Tianjin has built up a comprehensive industrial structure, including machinery, electronics, textiles, chemicals, metallurgy and foodstuffs.
Tianjin is one of the most prosperous business areas as well as a distribution center for goods and materials in North China . It's also a key hub of land and sea communications. Tianjin Harbour now boasts approximately 56 docks and 30 periodical international sea routes, serving as the most convenient port for Beijing , North and Northwest China , as well as an international trading port having relationships with over 300 harbours in approximately 150 countries and areas.
Tianjin also has a well-developed road transport network, a regular air-service to over 30 cities throughout the country, and inland water shipping, in addition to the pipelines for oil transport.
There are currently 18 districts and counties in Tianjin, including 6 city centre districts, 6 town districts and 3 coastal districts. As at 2005, the resident population of the city was 10.43 million people, living in a total area of 11919.7 square kilometres.
In 2006, the Chinese Central Government designated the Binhai New Area as an experimental zone for comprehensive reform, and regards Tianjin as the future economic centre of North China, anticipating that it will become an international port city and an ecological city by the year 2020. It is predicted that Tianjin will become a new economic growth point for China, similar to Shenzhen and Shanghai Pudong.