On August 8, "State Council's Official Response to Overall Planning of Tianjin" was published in the website of the Central People's Government of China. In it, the State Council considers Tianjin as an economic center in Circum-Bohai-Sea Region.

In the document, the State Council hopes Tianjin's emphasis is on the development of Binhai New Area and Tianjin grows to be a prosperous, highly civilized and beautiful port city with advanced technologies and education and adequate infrastructures. The State Council also wants Tianjin to be an economic center of North China and eco-city.

In a State Council's previous official response to the urban overall planning of Beijing, Beijing is defined as "China's capital, metropolis, culturally well-known city and suitable city for residence". The document mentions "suitable city for residence" for the first time and does not refer to Beijing as a so-called economic center.

Some experts think that as mutually supplementary to each other, Beijing and Tianjin together will develop harmonically and Tianjin will improve to offer better services to Beijing, Circum-Bohai-Sea Region and North China.

By People's Daily Online