Tianjin Facts

"Jin" in hip local speak, or "Diamond of the Bohai Gulf" in chamber of commerce terms, Tianjin is one of China's largest industrial cities with a staggering twelve million citizens. Like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chongqing, Tianjin is an autonomous municipality that does not have a provincial authority overseeing it. Simultaneously gritty and vibrant, it is a city just beginning to realize its tourism potential. New swanky four star hotels and skyscrapers dot the downtown skyline with sophistication, while airy parks and gardens along the Hai River challenge Tianjin's industrial image. Ancient temples and pagodas plus elaborate colonial buildings are no longer blights of neglect but prized...

..., China's third-largest urban area (after Shanghai and Beijing), will likely gain international attention after hosting some of the sports matches for the 2008 Olympic Games -- it's only an hour's train ride away from the official host city of Beijing.

Tianjin, a port city that sits on China's northern coast and has a population of more than 9 million people, is at the Grand Canal's northern outlet, on the Huang He River. Aside from having close proximity to the ocean and the river, it's also near lakes and mountains.

One of northern China's most significant financial centers, Tianjin is home to Nankai University and Tianjin University, so the city has an influential population of intellectuals...