March 29, eNorth from Hong Kong: This morning, "2001 Tianjin Week in Hong Kong Investment Report & Projects Negotiation Conference" was held in Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Mr. Li Shenglin, Mayor of Tianjin and Director of Tianjin Government Delegation attended the conference and made a speech. Mr. Wang Shuzu, Vice Mayor of Tianjin and Vice Director of Tianjin Government Delegation attended the conference and made a report whose theme was "Investing in Tianjin, Creating the Future Together". Mr. Zhu Wenju, Chairman of Tianjin Federation of Industry & Commerce and Vice Director of Tianjin Government Delegation took part in the conference.

In his speech, Mr. Li Shenglin, on behalf of Tianjin People's Municipal Government, warmly welcomed all the guests and friends who participated the conference, and sincerely thanked the entrepreneurs and all the circles for their supporting to Tianjin's development for years.

Li Shenglin said that Tianjin was the largest opening coastal city in Northern China and the economic center of China's Bohai Rim. With the favourable geographical location, rich natural recources and lots of scientific and technological talents, Tianjin enjoyed many comparative advantages. By the end of last year, Tianjin had totally signed 14 thousand of direct-foreign-investment-used contracts, the contractual foreign fund was US$30 billion and the direct actural foreign investment used was US$16 billion. Li said at the time when we entered 21st century, Tianjin's economic and social development also entered a new eara. "Our developing aim is to construct Tianjin to a modern international port metropolis and important economic center in Northern China; establish a comparatively perfect socialist market economic system in Tianjin that enable Tianjin to become one of the first cities in China that reach modernization. In order to make this aim come true, Tianjin is trying to create more business opportunities for foreign investors. The constructing speed of Tianjin New Coastal Area is increasing, more and more hi-tech indestrial parks are being established, a large quantity of urban infrastructures are being constructed and the reforming and adjusting speed of state-owned enterprises is raising, which offers a large number of cooperation fields. We sincerely hope you can have a visit in Tianjin in order to seek more development oppotunities in a larger range." Mr. Li said.

In the conference, the representatives of some related departments such as Tianjin Development Planning Committee, Tianjin Science & Technology Committee and the Administrative Committee of Tianjin New Coastal Area, etc. detailedly introduced the favourable investment policies Tianjin offers, and they also introduced a batch of tangible cooperation projects. The representatives of Hong Kong New World (China) Real Eatate Co.,Ltd. and Taiwan Ting Hsin International Group introduced their investment and development situations in Tianjin. The representative of Hong Kong Chinese General Chamber of Commerce made a speech in the conference. Hundreds of investors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan participated the conference and showed great interest in some investment projects.

(Journalists: Zhang Huijun, Wang Wei)