Binhai, Tianjin Municipality, China

🇨🇳 Binhai, fully known as Binhai New Area (滨海新区; Bīnhǎi Xīn Qū), abbreviated as Binhai and Bincheng, is a sub-provincial division, new area and special economic zone of China under the jurisdiction of Tianjin, People's Republic of China, located in the eastern coastal area of Tianjin, the centre of the Bohai Economic Rim, with a total area of 2,270 square km, It is the gateway to opening up to the outside world in northern China, a high-level modern manufacturing and R&D transformation base, a northern international shipping centre and international logistics centre, and a livable and ecological new urban area.

Binhai New Area is an important part of China (Tianjin) Pilot Free Trade Zone, a state-level new area, and a national comprehensive supporting reform pilot area.

Geography Binhai is located on the west coast of the Bohai Sea and east of Tianjin's main urban area. It is a part of the Bohai Economic Rim. It has an area of 3,000 km² (1,200 sq mi), a coastline of 153 km (95 mi), and contains 700 km² (270 sq mi) of water and wetlands.

Natural resources Binhai New Area has 700 square km (270 sq mi) of water and wetlands and a further 1,200 km² (460 sq mi) of wasteland that is being re-developed into saline land. It has proven oil resources totalling more than 100 million tons, and 193.7 billion cubic meters (6.84 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas.

Administrative divisions There are 19 subdistricts and 7 towns in the district: Tanggu Subdistrict, 塘沽街道 Tánggū Jiēdào; Hangzhou Street Subdistrict, 杭州道街道 Hángzhōudào Jiēdào; Xinhe Subdistrict, 新河街道 Xīnhé Jiēdào; Dagu Subdistrict (Taku), 大沽街道 Dàgū Jiēdào; Xinbei Subdistrict, 新北街道 Xīnběi Jiēdào; Beitang Subdistrict, 北塘街道 Běitáng Jiēdào; Hujiayuan Subdistrict, 胡家园街道 Hújiāyuán Jiēdào; Hangu Subdistrict, 汉沽街道 Hàngū Jiēdào; Zhaishang Subdistrict, 寨上街道 Zhàishàng Jiēdào; Chadian Subdistrict, 茶淀街道 Chádiàn Jiēdào; Dagang Subdistrict, 大港街道 Dàgǎng Jiēdào; Gulin Subdistrict, 古林街道 Gǔlín Jiēdào; Haibin Subdistrict, 海滨街道 Hǎibīn Jiēdào; Xincheng town 新城镇 Xīnchéng Zhèn; Yangjiabo town 杨家泊镇 Yángjiāpō Zhèn; Taiping town 太平镇 Tàipíng Zhèn; Xiaowangzhuang town 小王庄镇 Xiǎowángzhuāng Zhèn; Zhongtang town 中塘镇 Zhōngtáng Zhèn.

History The Binhai district was created by the government of China in the 1990s. In 1996 Soviet aircraft carrier Kiev was sold to Binhai Aircraft Park, a theme park in Binhai. The concept was developed by world tourism and attraction consultant Leisure Quest International.

In August 2011, the ex-Kiev was developed into a luxury hotel after renovations costing £9.6 million.

Starting from November 2009, Binhai New Area was consolidated into a district, and the former subordinate districts of Tanggu, Hangu and Dagang were abolished. Binhai New Area consists of nine functional zones: Advanced Manufacturing Zone, Airport-based Industrial Zone, Binhai High-tech Industrial Development Zone, Seaport-based Industrial Zone, Nangang Industrial Zone, Seaport Logistics Zone, Coastal Leisure & Tourism Zone, Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City and the Yujiapu Financial District. In addition, Tianjin Port whose throughput ranks 5th in the world is also located here.

The Binhai district was greatly affected by a large industrial-scale accident in August 2015. On August 12, a series of explosions took place at a port chemical storage facility in Binhai, causing 173 deaths and 797 injuries. The blast had the equivalent of 21 metric tons of TNT or a magnitude-2.9 earthquake, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. Eight other people remain missing.

Economy Yujiapu Financial District located in Binhai is an under construction financial district with a glitzy skyline envisioned to be a centre of world trade and finance. Other parts of Binhai have also been intended to be a base for China's advanced industrial and financial reform and innovation. The Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) is an early free trade zone.

Tianjin Emissions Exchange organized China's first sulfur dioxide, carbon neutral, contract energy management and energy efficiency product transactions, and established China's first voluntary emission reduction public inquiry system.

A number of major international companies including Rockefeller, Tishman Speyer, Motorola and Airbus have built branches here. For instance, EADS Airbus has already opened an assembly plant for its A320 series airliners, operational since 2009. Domestic companies headquartered in Binhai include noodlemaker Tingyi.

Culture A large culture complex, Binhai Cultural Center, with five central attractions planned. The centerpiece of the complex is the library that opened in November 2017. The library is nicknamed 'The Eye' because the sphere, which appears like an iris, can be seen from the park outside through an eye-shaped opening.

The remnant of Taku Forts in the form of a gun platform overlooks the Hai River (Peiho River) in Binhai.

Education Many colleges and universities in Tianjin have branch campuses in Binhai New Area. In 2003, Nankai University established the TEDA Campus in the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, which is dedicated to research on genomes, functional genomics, biochips, and molecular virology. Tianjin University of Science and Technology will move into Binhai New Area as a whole. The Juilliard College of New York and the Tianjin Conservatory of Music cooperated with the Juilliard Research Institute of the Tianjin Conservatory of Music in the Yujiapu Financial District to provide pre-university and postgraduate education. At the same time, Tianjin Maritime Vocational College, Tianjin Development Zone Vocational and Technical College, Tianjin Binhai Vocational College are located in Binhai New Area.

Transport: Rail High speed rail stops in Binhai with Binhai railway station and Tanggu railway station on the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway. Binhai West railway station and Binhai North railway station are stops along the Tianjin–Qinhuangdao High-Speed Railway. Tanggu railway station is also a station on the conventional speed Tianjin–Shanhaiguan Railway.

Transport: Metro Binhai is currently served by one metro line and one tram line operated by Tianjin Metro: •      Line 9 - Hujiayuan, Tanggu, TEDA  TEDA, Citizen Plaza, Convention and Exhibition Center Station, Donghai Road •      TEDA Tram - TEDA  9, First Avenue, Second Avenue, Third Avenue, Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Sixth Avenue, Seventh Avenue, Ninth Avenue, Tenth Avenue, Eleventh Avenue, International Joint Academy, College District, North of College District

Transport: Road There are 11 expressways (include 5 national expressways and 6 provincial expressways), 3 national highways and several provincial and county-level highways run through Binhai. • G0111 runs through north-east coastline, west part and south-east coastline of Binhai. • G0211 starts at Nangang Industrial Zone, on the south of Binhai. • G0212 (formerly) ends at Hebei Road, on the middle-west of Binhai. • G25 runs through west part of Binhai. • G2502 starts at Dashentang, on the north-east of Binhai. • ends at G103, near Hujiayuan station of line 9. • ends at Dagang College Town. • runs through middle coastline. • starts at Ningchegu, on the north of Binhai. • ends at Dongjiang Port Area, on the east of Binhai. • starts at Lingang Industrial Zone, on the east of Binhai. • G103 ends at Gate IV of Tianjin Port. • G228 runs through Lutai, Hangu, Beitang, Xinjiayuan, Hujiayuan, Dengshangu, Guangang, Gangdong New Town, Dagang Oil Field and Mapengkou towns of eastern Tianjin. • G336 starts at Qingfang Economical Zone of Dagang.