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.
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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.
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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.
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The other areas were established in coastal cities including Dalian and Guangzhou.
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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.
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TEDA is also home to many small and medium-sized technology firms.
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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.
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The changes taking place in TEDA reflect China's upgrading economy and the nation's effort to encourage innovation.
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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.Â