Since 1997, the Ministry of Commerce has focused on 49 state-level economic and technological development areas in China. It aims to develop a general evaluation based on economic capabilities, basic facility configurations, management costs, human resources and supplies and social and technical innovations. According to the latest results, Tianjin Binhai New Area was named the most admired industrial park and the most attractive investment area in China and even Asia as a whole.

Through more than 20 years of development, Tianjin Binhai New Area has authorized 4,000 foreign investors from 74 countries and areas with total investment capital of over 30 billion US dollars to invest in the area. Fifty-seven corporations in the world's top 500 have set up 125 companies in Tianjin Binhai New Area, including Motorola, Toyota, Coke-Cola, Pepsi-Cola and LG. Many multinational corporations in Binhai New Area have been extremely successful.

The director-general of the economic development department of the new area, Yang Zhize, says based on statistics from the domestic market, one in five mobile phones and one in four video recorders are made in Tianjin Economic and Technology Development Area (TEDA), 35 percent of instant noodles are made by "Master Kong" in TEDA and 13 percent televisions are also made there. The Tianjin development area is the largest base for the production of single keyboard electronic organs and liquid crystal displays in China.

In the first half of this year, economic indicators such as gross product, gross value of industrial output and exports of Tianjin Binhai New Area all topped state-level development areas. Energy-saving standards and environmental protection have improved as the resource consumption has reached the leading standard in China.

Tianjin Binhai New Area has set an enlightened, clean, diligent and efficient image to facilitate investors and earn profits.

The president of Novozymes Investment Company China, Jiang Weiming, says one of the reasons the company chose this location is because the area have been very supportive and provides good services.

Today, the companies in Binhai New Area can transact all kinds of approved procedures by themselves. They can declare duties on goods and entries online. Residents can communicate with the government conveniently through the Internet. The call center of the area provides 24-hour consultation, inquiry and repair services. It takes complaints from residents. The implementation of electronic governmental affairs has improved the modernization and efficiency of governmental services in the development area. This has helped Binhai New Area become the first area to accomplish digitalization.

Li Yong, director of the management committee of Binhai New Area, says traditional and basic establishments are hardly to meet developmental demands. Investors in the area require better software to build a good investment environment.

Li Yong adds that since hardware cannot meet the demand, software is becoming key to show the competitiveness and investment environment of an area. Binhai New Area is making great efforts in this regard.

Since the establishment of Binhai New Area, it has focused on the development of high and new technology industries. It has helped the high-tech industry become the most significant impetus to spur the economic development of Binhai New Area. By doing so, a solid foundation has been established, with the Tianjin development area being built into an innovation and production base for the high-tech industry.

To attract high-tech companies to set up base and develop in the area, Binhai New Area has constituted and implemented a series of measures and policies to urge the development of the high-tech industry for 10 years. Among these policies, the encouragement of senior professional policies and the promotion of the development of high and new technology policy have helped in its aims.

The director-general of the science and technology department, Wang Fengju, says two of these policies are to help high-tech companies and encourage talents. For instance, these policies provide high-tech companies with favorable prices to rent workshops.

Tianjin development area has also established a policy to take 5% from financial income each year to set up the "TEDA Technological Development Fund" and the "TEDA Technological Risk Fund." to encourage technology innovation. Since 2000, the development area has already provided nearly 1.5 billion yuan (0.2 billion US dollars) for the development of high-tech companies.

Technological development relies on the environment. To further encourage technological achievements and cultivate the industry's configuration to meet the state's industry development policy, the Binhai New Area is looking into brand-new working mechanisms for the technological industry.

It has become the first area to put the "incubator" concept into practice, which is the mechanism to support the development of new company. By doing so, an international center for starting new careers has been established. It provides a solid foundation for the development of innovative technology companies in the development area.