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Ambitious Tianjin gears up ahead of Summer Davos

Updated: 2010-09-02 16:58

NEW FEATURES

Besides providing a magnificent conference site, leading hotels and tightened security, Tianjin is trying to add more new features to the event.

"We are going to make it a 'greener' meeting, to highlight the theme of 'Sustainable Growth' this year," said Zhu.

According to Zhu, Tianjin has planned for more energy-saving and environmentally-friendly conference services, including recycling conference paper and providing dozens of electric vehicles as shuttle buses with zero-emissions.

This year's event will also see more local citizens become involved, Zhu said, as 2,200 trained volunteers, selected from nearly 20,000 applicants, will assist at the event.

Moreover, five citizens from Tianjin will participate in the meeting, to "carry out a dialogue between Tianjin and the world", Zhu said.

Currently, applicants for citizen representative are going through several rounds of selection which involve lectures, interviews and debates, and those who win the competition will be able to attend the meeting and share their own perspectives and observations, he said.

DAVOS AND TIANJIN'S AMBITION

With a population of more than 12 million, the Tianjin Municipality has been one of the fastest growing cities in China, and is fighting to become an economic powerhouse for the country's north region.

"Hosting Summer Davos could definitely bring us some impetus," said Zhu, who hoped the event could make the city more open and international.

The city, with a history of over 600 years, is pinning its hopes on the Tianjin Binhai New Arena that is being built into a new manufacturing base, an international shipping and logistics center to boost regional growth, according to city planning.

"We see the event as a good opportunity to learn and communicate on urban planning and management, as it gathers so many great minds and experts," Zhu said.

"It also offers opportunities for local enterprises to find business partners at an international level and seek further development," he added.