Tianjin business

In the past Tianjin relied heavily on government owned and operated businesses. In simple terms before the event known in Chinglish as the "reform and opening-up" China and Tianjin were off limits to the outside world. Everything was under the jurisdiction of the Central Chinese Communist Government. There was no business in Tianjin which did not have government involvement. State owned and operated business was the norm. From schools, hospitals, factories and more, it was all controlled, managed and run by the government.

In December of 1978 things changed. The Central Government announced an unprecedented "reform" in policy. The entire country of China and Tianjin were affected. This "reform" meant a slow but steady change of allowing the outside world in and the inside world out. As such the business scene in Tianjin changed too. At the core was the introduction and allowance of privately owned businesses. In time as many government owned businesses were closed. The opportunity for local citizens and foreign entities to open a business in Tianjin was created.

At present, countless Tianjiner's own a business. For many the once slow and steady lifestyle associated with a government job has turned into the daily responsibility of owning and operating a business. Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprises (WOFE) are also in Tianjin, however most are in the Binhai area (TEDA). Little by little some of these WOFE's are popping up within the city limits.

Business in Tianjin is nowhere near as competitive as Beijing, Shanghai or Shenzhen. Tianjin locals are fighting the tide of change. The pace of Tianjin life is speeding up. Non-native Tianjin people arrive with goals of starting a business and tend to pursue these goals more aggressively than locals. Especially Chinese from the south are very business savvy. Add to this foreign brands are arriving and putting additional pressure on local owners.

Expats looking to open a business in China have a real opportunity in Tianjin at present. In the past, the market was not mature enough to support a lot of foreign investment. Only the really big national conglomerates could afford to weather the test of time as local Tianjin residents began to get to know and accept "foreign" brands. McDonald's and KFC are examples of such. Presently, the barriers to buying foreign brands, especially big ones are far less, making the Tianjin market ripe for harvesting.

Small and medium sized WOFE's are extremely few at present in Tianjin. When compared with Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, Tianjin is an expat entrepreneurs dream. Tianjin has plenty of people. The city transportation system is undergoing huge expansion. Overhead is still far less when compared with other major Chinese cities, and competition isn't as fierce either.

Expats who have opened a business in another Chinese city may very well want to consider opening one in Tianjin. Some foreign brands led by expats have already started doing so. An example is the Subway sandwich shop. A few years ago in Tianjin there were barely any to be found. Now, pretty much every major mall and shopping area has one. Another example is the popular Blue Frog burger and bar joint. Previously a hit in Beijing and Shanghai, it has just opened its first location at the new Riverside 66 mall.

Tianjin locals need to look for ways to completely reinvent their businesses. Many businesses are sorely in need of new ideas, new ideologies, and new offerings. Local business owners looking to weather the storm of change and competition will need to up their game significantly. Owners need to proactively look for ways to keep pace within incoming entrepreneurs who bring capital, drive and ingenuity.

Tianjin Past, Present, Future

In this brief review of Tianjin, as it was, is and will be there is much to be said for what has already occurred. Tianjin has already started breaking out of its sluggish syndrome. Still as it stands, Tianjin is at a cross roads. Huge Central Government plans for the Tri-Area integration have put Tianjin "on the map" for major upgrades in transportation and housing. As such for many the choice will be to either move ahead welcoming new ideas and new lifestyles or risk being left behind.

Utilizing the new infrastructure, major malls have already been built or are being built in every major district throughout Tianjin. Metro systems are racing to keep up and catch up. These metro lines are essential in managing the major congestion of central city streets. At the same time new metro lines and stops should make previously untouched land come to life as new business, and residents move nearby.

Providing clear air, water and food is also on the Tianjin development radar. Tianjin has seen its fair share of smog and other pollution issues related to the rapid industrial development which ensued en masse since 1979. The Tianjin government is following the orders of the Central Communist Party in stepping up controls. It is implementing new policies to attempt to reduce pollution. The main goal is to improve overall air quality in the near future. These changes create huge opportunities for businesses looking to assist with designing and developing "green" technology.

Tianjin has also done its part in drawing acclaimed international educational facilities to town. This is an important component in attracting expat families to Tianjin for work and long term residency. In addition, it makes Tianjin a more desirable choice for Chinese citizens who want to give their children access to an international education without leaving the country. For after school and after work, Tianjin is always working to provide residents more choices in terms of arts and entertainment. In the past, to many, Tianjin was perhaps but an unknown name on the map. Presently it has become a bustling metropolis which grows larger by the day. As such, the Tianjin of the past is history in the books. Tianjin of the present is history in the making. Tianjin of the future is history on the horizon.