Tianjin

For a long time the city was only a small village. Its initial name was "imperial ferry" - originating from the Ming dynasty. Tianjin became an important trading center at the turn of the sixth and seventh centuries AD, during the Sui dynasty. Until 1404 the city was called Zhigu which means Open Port. In the fifteenth century, it received its present name and as a city of great military significance, it was fortified with Tianjin Wei fort.

In 1405 and 1406, two fortresses were created on the left and right wing of Tianjin. In 1652, during the reign of King Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty, three fortresses were combined into one center, called Tianjin City. 1725 - Tianjin became a separate prefecture and six years later its rights were extended. In 1858, after the incident with a ship from Hong Kong in the Opium War with Great Britain and France, a peace treaty was signed in Tianjin to guarantee the opening of the port to foreign trade.

Forty years later the power over the city was taken by the so-called Boxers, fighting for the liberation of China from the influence of colonizers. However, the armed forces of European countries forced Boxers to step down. An interesting fact is that at this time in Tianjin worked the future president of the United States, Herbert Hoover.

In 1906, the first tram network in China surrounding the city was created, which greatly facilitated the lives of citizens in the city. From 1937 to 1945, Tianjin was under Japanese occupation and later after World War II until 1947 under the United States. Since the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 (as a commune directly under central government), the city has undergone significant development in economic construction and social enterprises. Very dynamic economic development has led, among others to: restore the family economy in agriculture, revive the private sector, create the first special economic zones.

Internal reforms were also accompanied by changes in foreign policy, where the People's Republic of China began to gradually recover from isolation. In 1976, Tianjin was partially destroyed by an earthquake. 1987 was the opening of the city to the outside world - good relations with foreign friends were due to the huge sea port. Great economic progress, with an average increase of 13.9%, led to the strengthening of the status of Tianjin. In 2015, the first free trade zone in northern China was created in the city. A shimmering pearl on the shore of Bohai (because the inhabitants of this city say about it), it will certainly become even brighter.

Tianjin is a place with rich tourist offer. It has rich natural resources: mountains, rivers, lakes, seas and wetlands. The culture of this city is very different from the cultures of other cities in the North China region. City residents use many different dialects, among others Mandarin, Putonghua or Tieńcin. Interestingly, in Tianjin a completely different language is used than in the country's capital, Beijing, although the cities are not very far apart (only 130 km away). Due to the location of the city, Tianjin cuisine focuses on food mainly from the sea.
Tourists are particularly attracted by the ancient cultural  Guwenhua Jie street located in the Nankai district (officially opened in 1986). The street begins at Gongbei Avenue in the north and ends at Gongnan South Avenue, measuring approximately 687 meters long and almost 5 meters wide. Although it is a business street, it attracts tourists who meet with unique architectural styles, admire its classic cultural features, buy various folk crafts and try delicious local snacks.
The Temple of the Queen of Heaven located on that street was built in 1326 and is one of the three Mazu temples in the world. Currently, there is a folk museum that has numerous folk crafts and cultural monuments from ancient times.
The Yuhuang Pavilion (Yuhuang Ge) is the only building that was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in the city and is the oldest building on the street. From the top of the two-story pavilion, guests have a bird's-eye view of the entire street. Another building, Tong Qingli (ancient residential houses), built in 1913, is the largest building that combines the east and west architectural elements.
Looking closely, tourists may notice that the buildings are built of "blue bricks" and the doors and windows have colorful paintings on them. It is worth visiting the street on 23 March due to the Huanghui Fair, held every year. During the fair you will see, among others dragon dance. Places that deserve to be visited are: Tianjin Museum, TV Tower from which you can see the vast panorama of the city, Jizhou Cave and Tropical Botanical Garden.
Tianjin is also famous for Wei kites and Zhang clay figurines. The famous Chinese comedian and actor Ma Sanli also came from the city, who is known for his love of Chinese stand-up style - xiangsheng. His performances, often based on the Tiennian dialect were very popular in China.

The city boasts 2,975 educational institutions. Tianjin is an academic city. In 1895, the first modern university Peiyang Western Style School was opened. The following year, its name was changed to Peiyang University. There are many colleges and about 20 universities. Some of the most famous are: Nankai University, Tianjin University, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin Polytechnic University, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

There are also many technical schools, military academies, academies of fine arts and academies of physical education. Tianjin is an extraordinary scientific center, that is why many foreign students come here. By the end of 2015, their number had reached the level of 25,000.

Universities from Tianjin and Łódź are implementing a number of inter-university projects aimed at developing academic contacts and promoting Polish higher education in China.

The University of Łódź cooperates with 4 universities in Tianjin:

-Tianjin University of Science and Technology,

-Tianjin University of Technology and Education,

-Tianjin University of Technology,

-Nankai University.

On 6 November 2019, we hosted representatives of Nankai University, one of the most prestigious Chinese universities. The guests had the opportunity to see a presentation on the economic potential and development prospects of Łódź. The teaching staff of the Chinese university came to Łódź at the invitation of the University of Łódź.

From 15 to 19 May 2019, the World Intelligence Forum conference took place, during which Łódź had the opportunity to present its innovative projects implemented at Łódź universities, 5G assumptions at the Łódz University of Technology campus or Smart City. In addition, it was possible to present Łódź as the host of EXPO 2024. During the conference, the topics of the new era of intelligence and new challenges and intelligent solutions in city management were also discussed. Exhibitions of intelligent devices: 5G vehicles, robots, and mobile phones took place during the conference. Companies such as Alibaba, BYD, Huawei, ASEA, BCG, Tencert and Haier presented themselves.

During the visit to Tianjin, a meeting was also held with Mr. Gao Yubao, Vice-Chairman of the Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China in Tianjin, and with Mr. Hang Guoqing, the Mayor of Tianjin, who appreciated 25 years of cooperation between Łódź and Tianjin, especially in terms of academic cooperation. Łódź is a very important place for Tianjin in relation to the One Belt One Road idea. The Tianjin Mayor also declared support for the EXPO 2024 Horticultural exhibition.

In addition, a meeting took place at the Tianjin University of Language Studies, during which the Rector presented university and a new chair of the Polish language. The Tianjin University of Language Studies is already cooperating with two universities in Poland, it is also planning to establish cooperation with the University of Łódź and the Polish Language Training Center at the University of Łódź.

-space industry

-automotive industry

-petrochemical industry

-electronics industry

-alternative energy sources

-chemical industry

-medical industry

-science and technology

At the meeting with the Director of Tianjin Trade Commission, Mr. Wang Xing Chun, the possibilities of economic cooperation including academic exchange were discussed.

Visit of a delegation to Łódź to exchange good practices in urbanization and revitalization. The municipality hosted a delegation from the twin city of Tianjin in China.

The visit was organized to celebrate the 20th anniversary of cooperation between Łódź and Tianjin. Łódź has obtained Tianjin's support for our efforts to organize EXPO 2022.

The main topic of the visit was revitalization and spatial planning. That is why representatives of Tianjin, with the Deputy mayor of the city headed by Yin Hailin, had the opportunity to learn about the assumptions of the Łódź program "City of tenements" and our program of revitalization and organization of space.

- Tianjin cares about its urban space very much. I hope to exchange experiences and meetings during which we present, among others Art_Inkubator and EC1 will perfectly show what functions a revitalized post-industrial space can have and it is of particular interest of our guests - emphasized the Deputy Mayor of Łódź Marek Cieślak.

- We have heard a lot about Łódź experience in the field of revitalization. We are interested in how to renovate the old buildings, but also how social problems related to it are solved. We have 14 historic areas in Tianjin where various types of conservation work are carried out. The New Center of Łódź project is very interesting for us. In particular, we appreciate the program combining transport with cultural and scientific and technical functions in one place - said Deputy Mayor Yin Hailin.

The 3^rd Poland-China Regions Forum in Łódź (28-29 June) was attnded by over half a thousand entrepreneurs and representatives of local government. Discussions and panels on economic, scientific and cultural exchange took place as well as cooperation agreements were signed. Grzegorz Schetyna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, came to the forum, and the authorities of Łódź and the Łódzkie Region were represented by: the mayor Hanna Zdanowska and marshal Witold Stępień. Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education prof. Daria Lipińska-Nałęcz signed the documents facilitating the exchange of students between Polish universities and universities in the Henan province, which was also important for the University of Łódź and our city, which already works very closely with the city of Chengdu. Both centers are connected by a cargo railway, and yesterday the Chinese opened their office and official representation in Łódź.

In connection with the tragic fire in Tianjin, a partner city of Łódź, President Hanna Zdanowska sent a letter to Huang Xiangguo - Mayor of Tianjin.

It says:

"With great anxiety and sadness I received the news about the tragic events in Tianjin, where as a result of massive explosions in port warehouses dozens of people were killed and several hundred were injured. Every disaster causes a shock, but I hope that the situation can be quickly managed and the city will return to normal life.

I am regretting with the families of the victims of the explosion and in these difficult moments I send brotherly words of support to the residents of Tianjin from the partner city of Łódź."

Chinese Day in Łódź takes place under the auspices of the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Poland.

On the occasion of the inauguration of the 20th anniversary of cooperation between Łódź and Tianjin and the Chinese New Year, we invite you for the Chinese Day in Łódź. Free tickets are available at the ticket office of the City of Łódź Museum (Łódź, 15 Ogrodowa St.) during opening hours.
http://www.muzeum-lodz.pl/pl/muzeum/wiadomoci/564-dzie-chiski-w-odzi

20years of cooperation with Tianjin

Martial arts show, tea ceremony and Mandarin dialect lesson - this is how Chinese Day was celebrated in Łódź, celebrating the 20th anniversary of partnership with the city of Tianjin. Guests of the ceremony were: the ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Poland Xu Jian and representatives of Tianjin. During the day they visited Łódź and the surrounding area. They were, among others in EC1, they also visited shopping centers in Rzgów. In the evening they met in the hospitable rooms of Izrael Poznanski's palace.

- Regional cooperation is a very important part of the 65 years of cooperation between our countries. I am in Łódź for the first time, but your city made a great impression on me. Your creativity, revitalization, road investments - you can see that the residents of Łódź are hard-working - said Ambassador Xu Jian. - Personally, I am also impressed with Łódź's interest in China.

- We cooperate on economical, cultural and scientifical level - a big role in this, has among others the University of Łódź. I hope that the next 20 years will be even more fruitful in contacts between our cities - said Deputy Mayor Marek Cieślak on behalf of the Łódź authorities. - Tianjin is not the only Chinese city with which we cooperate closer, we also have, among others permanent rail cargo connection with Chengdu - explained the deputy mayor.

In the guest halls of the City of Łódź Museum, students of Łódź schools took part in a demonstration Chinese lesson. They learned a few words and principles governing the grammar of the Mandarin dialect, and also heard a colorful story about the Middle Kingdom given by sinologists from the University of Łódź. Tea show and concert playing traditional instruments, including zither and Chinese violin, presented by Anna Krysztofiak, art historian and musician of the Łódź Philharmonic. The Chinese Day program included an unusually lively martial art show. At the end of the ceremony, Chinese lanterns were released.

On 21 September, in the Schiller Passage, a concert of the Voice of Yunnan band took place, which in its 80-minute program presented traditional Chinese music with theatrical elements in various arrangements.
the concert featured such compositions as:

-Pear leaves (folk song of Wa minority),
-Bunch of folk tunes,
-Bunch of love tunes,
-Songs about husking rice,
-Kanaibeinaige Weiweige (folk song of Achang and Nu minorities).

Representatives of the Embassy of the PRC in Poland took part in the concert, including the 1st Secretary of the Embassy.

A big surprise was also prepared by the Chinese restaurant in Łódź - Mei Mei, which for this occasion prepared dozens of boxes of traditional Chinese dishes.

The joint celebrations took place in the Year of the Horse, which is full of optimism, announces the fulfillment of long-term plans and new financial and business opportunities!

A delegation from the twin city of Tianjin visited Łódź. Representatives of the Trade Commission of the local municipality and investors were interested in the possibilities of developing trade exchange. At the meeting with the Mayor Hanna Zdanowska, the next year's jubilee of 20 years of cooperation between cities was discussed. In addition, Chinese delegates encouraged to take part in the May Investment Fair in Tianjin.

The representatives of Tianjin headed by Mr. He Lifenghosted, Vice Secretary of the Communist Party of China in Tianjin visited Łódź. Guests from China wanted to get to know the conditions that Łódź can offer to entrepreneurs.

The delegation met the Mayor of Łódź Hanna Zdanowska and the deputy Mayor Marek Cieślak.
China is a country with great economic, cultural and academic potential. Łódź counts on even greater relations with Tianjin, mainly through the visits of the prime ministers of the Republic of Poland and the PRC, and as a result the establishment of Poland as a strategic partner of China, which opened up completely new opportunities for cooperation.

The Mayor of the City of Łódź emphasized the central location of the city and the advantages of location at the junction of highways, a modern airport and investments in rail connections, as well as conditions in the Lodz Special Economic Zone.

The Vice-Secretary of the Party emphasized the importance of our friendly relations, which constitute a bridge for cooperation, especially in economic terms. Tianjin delegates highlighted investment opportunities in the New Binhai Area. They also announced permanent contact with the Investor Service Office, which aims to support investments in Łódź.

The delegation of the City of Łódź presented in Tianjin Łódź universities and research and scientific potential of Łódź, and as part of the exchange of experience, got acquainted with the system of higher education in the partner city. Representatives of the Łódź University of Technology talked regarding cooperation in the field of student exchange and exchange of academic teachers.

The delegation of the City of Łódź, headed by Marek Cieślak, the Deputy Mayor of the City of Łódź, took part in trade conferences on foreign investment and outsourcing. Talks were held with all possible decision makers in the city about expanding cooperation. The city intends to extend business relations with a broader cultural and sport exchange, cooperation between universities or student exchange and tourist offer. The Chinese need gate to Europe, and Łódź wants to be a window to Tianjin on the Old Continent.
Dozens of meetings were also held: with representatives of Chinese cities, companies and chambers of commerce.
During this visit, not only meetings with investors from China but also from all over Asia were possible, because businessmen from all over the continent took part in the conferences. During the talks, potential partners were encouraged to do business in Łódź. The effect of cooperation is to attract Chinese investors to the Łódź Special Economic Zone.

A group of 6 dancers performing traditional and classical Chinese dances participated in the 3rd International Dance Festival in Łódź, at the invitation of the City of Łódź Office, organized by the Impresario Agency IGO-ART and City of Łódź Office.

At the invitation of the acting Mayor of Łódź Tomasz Sadzyński and the president of Łódź Special Economic Zone Marek Cieślak, a group of Chinese entrepreneurs from the city of Tianjin came to Łódź, among which there were: Wang Yuying - president of the Tianjin business organization and Zhang Jiana - head of one of the largest pharmaceutical concerns in China. The deputy mayor of the city Łukasz Magin also met with Chinese entrepreneurs. Marek Cieślak, president of the Łódź Special Economic Zone is also counting on effective cooperation with Tianijn - a partner city of Łódź. Chinese entrepreneurs are interested in creating an industrial park in Łódź.

In the second half of May 2009, representatives of the sports club Widzew Łódź and the City of Łódź Office visited Tianjin to develop cooperation in the field of sports exchanges and economic aspects. During the visit, talks were held, a.o. with construction companies, financial institutions as well as with football clubs and associations. The programme for teh delegation of the City of Łódź and the club was specially prepared by the Polish Embassy in Beijing. The delegation from Łódź also met with representatives of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Trade, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the authorities of the City of Tianjin.