Till now, there have been 128 of the WorldTop 500 multi-national companies settling inTianjin, the biggest coastal open city in NorthChina. These companies, accounting for onequarter of the World Top 500, have invested intotally 359 projects, the amount of investmenttotaling US$ 15.8 billion.

In 1984, Tianjin was chosen as one of the 14coastal opening-up cities in China. OTIS, oneof the World Top 500, took the lead to establishthe first joint venture in Tianjin. Ever sincethen, more and more of the World Top 500have entered Tianjin.

Companies including OTIS, P & G, Toyota,Samsung, Shell, Siemens, Nestle, GlaxoSmith-Kline and Carrefour have entered Tianjin successively,allowing Tianjin people to get in realtouch with some of the often-mentioned top500 companies.

OTIS, the first visitor, has now owned a groupholding company, eight joint-ventures, fourmanufacturing bases, three R & D centers withmore than 7,000 staff. It has become the biggestlift- and escalator-manufacturer and serviceprovider in China.

The unique location-specific advantage, favorableinvestment environment and marketdevelopment prospect in Tianjin have endowedmany of the World Top 500 the opportunityto create miracles with their investment. Theyhave created trend-leading brand names, forwhich the city has become famous.

In 1992, after choice testing, comparative studiesand a tough negotiation, Motorola decidedto make its investment in Tianjin. This is thefirst and the biggest investment that Motorolahas ever made in China. From the US$ 120 millionat the first stage to the total investment ofUS$ 3.8 billion sixteen years later, the companynow has more than 10,000 staff and an annualsale record of US$ 80.7 billion.

Motorola has taken an active part in acceleratingChina’s undertaking of mobile communication,with its producing techniques and solutionsbecoming milestones in China’s mobilecommunication history.

In 2006, Tianjin Binhai New Area was includedin the national development strategy and wasendorsed as national comprehensive reformand experimental development testing zone,offering important opportunities for Tianjin’sdevelopment and creating vast potential for itsfuture development.

Many of the World Top 500 companies seizethe opportunity and invest in Tianjin. In theyear of 2006 alone, there were already 26 ofthese companies investing in the city. In 2007,there were another 30 enterprises followingsuit.

Many investments by the World Top 500 concentrateon manufacturing, accounting for60 percent of the recently endorsed projects.Other projects include wholesale and retailing,finance and properties. Investments inthe third industry have been increasing greatlyevery year.

World Top 500 companies have made theirways into Tianjin, sharing the development ofChina. Meanwhile, Tianjin is forcefully pushingforward the adjustment of its industry structure,the advancement in techniques and theupgrading of its industries, resorting to the richcapitals provided by these multi-national companies,sophisticated techniques and modernmanagement expertise. World Top 500 firmshave become an important driving force forTianjin to be integrated in the world’s economy.

Since the reform and opening-up of China, alot has been achieved in the socio-economicdevelopment in Tianjin. In 2007, Tianjin’s annualper capita GDP surpassed US$ 6,000.Presently, there are more than 20,000 foreigninvestedenterprises in Tianjin, with the overseascapital in place of US$ 37.6 billion.