March 30, eNorth from Hong Kong: "2001 Tianjin Week in Hong Kong Modern Logistics Conference" was held on March 30 in Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. Tianjin and Hong Kong's logistics circles, combining with Tianjin's realities, discussed the present situation of logistics, development pattern and prospect.

Mr. Wang Shuzu, Vice mayor of Tianjin made a speech in the conference. Mr. Zhu Wenju, Chairman of Tianjin Federation of Industry & Commerce attended the conference.

In his speech, Mr. Wang Shuzu said now the world's globalization process is in rapid development, the capital is turning over in the whole world, a united global market is getting mature and the flowing, allocation and re-union of all kinds of factors are accelerating, which raise new requirements continually to logistics development. Along with the approaching of the day that China join WTO, transnational enterprises' investment in China and our foreign trade turnover will both increase by a big margin, which will bring a large international logistics market and demand to Tianjin and furtherly increase the speed and the process of constructing Tianjin to an important central international logistics city in China. As the biggest foreign trade port in Northern China, Tianjin has very good basic conditions of developing modern logistics; moreover, Tianjin has already accumulated certain related successful experiences because the development of Tianjin's logistics began ealier. Therefore, Tianjin People's Municipal Government, after carefully analysing the situation and the significance of developing modern logistics and studying modern logistics development essentials, determined to make constructing Tianjin to an important central international logistics city in China the strategic direction .

Wang Shuzu said along with the implementation of our strategy of Developing Western China, facing the large demand of logistics from Middle and Western China, Tianjin will take good advantage of its unique advantages and good basic conditions to cooperate with the region in Middle and Western China to construct a modern inter-active logistics system and serve the development of Western China. At the same time, Tianjin will also make use of the wide market and abundant resources of Middle and Western China to quiken the economic cooperation and development between Tianjin and Northeastern Asia in order to play an important role in Northeastern Asia and Western China in a higher level and become the hub and bridge enabling Middle and Western China to step to the world and the world to enter Middle and Western China. China's joining WTO will bring good oppotunities for Tianjin to develop modern logistics. After China's joining WTO, Tianjin's economy will develop in a very high speed and a batch of enterprises with strength and high management level will be in greater and greater need of logistics. We must grasp the opportunities to speed up the development of modern logistics in order to match the requirement of Tianjin's economic development.

Wang Shuzu said as a big international port city, Hong Kong gained lots of great achievements in many-years' development of modern logistics. We will carefully learn the advanced technologies and management experiences of modern logistics from domestic and abroad, including Hong Kong. "I sincerely hope Hong Kong friends of all circles to develop multi-forms and multi-fields cooperation with Tianjin logistics circles. We will implement the policies of opening-up, inviting overseas investment and importing overseas fund. We welcome the countries that are advanced in logistics, Hong Kong and Taiwan to invest in Tianjin to cooperate with us in constructing our logistics infrastructure or establish logistics enterprises. Through the cooperation, we will learn advanced logistics technologies and management experiences in order to speed up the development of Tianjin's modern logistics." Mr. Wang said.

Mr. Lin Tianfu, Vice President of Hong Kong Trade Development Council attended the conference and made a speech. Mr. Wang Derong, Vice Standing Chairman of China Transportation and Communication Association made a speech on the development situation and prospect of China's modern logistics. Nearly 300 people and experts of logistics circles from Tianjin Trasportation Committee, Administrative Committee of TEDA, Administrative Committee of Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone, Tianjin Port Office, Tianjin Coastal International Airport, Tianjin Railroad Bureau, Hong Kong Logistics Association and Hong Kong Orient Storage & Transportation Co.,Ltd. etc. attended the conference.