Strolling down the broad streets in the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA), it's hard to miss the flashy billboards displaying world famous brands such as Coca-Cola and Samsung.

 

Located at the Bohai Bay in Tianjin, a harbour city in north China, TEDA is a concentration of factories laid out in a style similar to Manhattan, though the skyline lacks high rise buildings and the streets are much quieter.

 

TEDA is among the first 14 state-sponsored development areas that were established in 1984, six years after China introduced the policy of reform and opening up.

 

The other areas were established in coastal cities including Dalian and Guangzhou.

 

However, the picture is fast changing in recent years, as more and more technology companies occupy the space once held by light manufacturers. Now, more than half a million people are employed in the TEDA, including some 4,000 foreign workers.

 

TEDA is also home to many small and medium-sized technology firms.

 

Official statistics showed that there were 3,755 small and medium-sized technology firms in TEDA by the end of 2013. By November, the figure had reached 4,600.

 

The changes taking place in TEDA reflect China's upgrading economy and the nation's effort to encourage innovation.

 

At the 18th National Congress in November 2012, the Communist Party of China (CPC) put forward a strategy for innovation-driven development, stressing the importance of scientific innovation in improving productivity and overall national strength. 

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