Deep integration fuels foreign trade in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region

A city cluster in north China saw growing foreign trade in the past decade after the region reshaped trade dynamics through an innovative fusion of air and sea gateways.

In 2023, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region's imports and exports totaled 5.03 trillion yuan (about $699.24 billion), achieving growth for a third consecutive year. It increased 34.4 percent compared to 2014.

In 2014, China initiated the strategy of coordinating the development of the national capital, Beijing, with the development of its neighboring regions Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province to develop a better economic structure, a cleaner environment and improved public services.

Ten years on, remarkable results have been achieved in the region's coordinated development. Also known as "Jing-Jin-Ji" for short, the region saw its gross domestic product (GDP) grow 90 percent to 10.4 trillion yuan (about $1.46 trillion) in 2023 compared to 2013, data released by the Beijing office overseeing the region's integration showed.

To deal with the growing demand of imports and exports in this region, Beijing Capital International Airport and Tianjin Port, 180 kilometers apart, have been synchronizing efforts to facilitate goods transportation.

The two "ports" have gained momentum since last August when the administrative committees of the Beijing Capital International Airport Economic Zone and the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone signed a memorandum of cooperation, aiming to enhance customs clearance integration.

Ma Haiqing, head of a foreign trade enterprise in Beijing, told China Media Group that, before introducing regional integration in the logistics sector, they had to go through complicated customs clearance procedures both in Beijing and the Tianjin Port, which took a lot of time.

"With streamlined customs clearance processes, we can apply for customs clearance in Beijing and release at Tianjin port, which indeed brings great convenience to enterprises," said Ma.

In May 2023, cooperation efforts were solidified further when the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau, the Tianjin Commission of Commerce and the Hebei Development and Reform Commission inked a pact to deepen port cooperation, boost customs facilitation and promote synchronized growth in cross-border trade.

"Ten years ago, there were more bulk commodities and raw materials in the goods entering and leaving the customs," said Cheng Likun, deputy director of the Customs Clearance Department, Beijing Capital International Airport.

"Now goods closely related to the construction of a modern industrial system are gradually increasing, such as integrated circuits and aircraft spare parts," Cheng told CMG.

In 2023, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region imported 471.63 billion yuan of high-tech products, an increase of 25.8 percent compared to 2014. Exports of new growth drivers, such as new energy vehicles, solar batteries, grew strongly.

Shi Qingke, head of overseas business of a car company in Hebei Province, said their annual sales in 2023 exceeded 316,000 units, an increase of 82 percent year-on-year.

"We sold 57,000 units of new energy vehicles, an increase of 431 percent year-on-year," said Shi.

Comprehensive bonded zones are special commercial zones that enjoy favorable taxation policies. The number of comprehensive bonded zones in the region has increased from two in 2014 to 11, with imports and exports totaling 451.3 billion yuan in 2023, a ten fold increase compared to 2014. 

Over the past decade, integration of industrial and supply chain in the region has grown deeper. For instance, enterprises from Zhongguancun, a national high-tech industrial development zone in Beijing, set up over 10,000 branches in Tianjin and Hebei.

As the integration gathers pace, the region has built more railways and highways to beef up connectivity. The region has over 11,000 kilometers of railway lines, up more than 30 percent from 2013, and nearly 11,000 kilometers of highways, up over 40 percent from 2013.