Christoph Schrempp: Manufacturing industry is foundation of Tianjin and props up the future growth of the city

Tianjin is an ancient coastal city at least 600 years old located right next to Beijing in North China. It is a balanced blend of old and new, abundant in historical and cultural resources and a major economic center with national impact.

It has witnessed positive outcomes in its efforts to pursue high-quality development, and will continue boosting productivity and seeking new momentum to foster sustainable development.

Following the success of season one,Tianjin releases the secondseason ofTianjin Insight series, which presents a panoramic view of the port city’s evolution and achievements through the eyes of expats living there.

Dr. Christoph Schrempp, Chair of the Tianjin Chapter of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and General Manager of Airbus (Tianjin) Delivery Centre Ltd., is an entrepreneur and a practitioner committed to promoting economic and trade cooperation between China and the EU.

The Tianjin Chapter of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China attaches great importance to conducting exchanges and dialogues with the Tianjin Municipal Government, he said. The European Chamber will serve as a bridge to facilitate economic and trade cooperation between Europe and China, and strive to promote Tianjin to enterprises in Europe.

“Tianjin has become my second hometown, and I am very excited about my private life and my professional life in this city,” said Schrempp, expressing his deep affection for the city. He came to Tianjin from Germany in 2013 and has lived here for nearly nine years.

It is Tianjin’s mix of rich historical resources and modern prosperity that fascinates Schrempp. "In Tianjin, it’s also rich of the heritage and presents a very interesting and memorable mix of ancient times and ancient styles. At the end of the banking street we find the financial tower where we are today, a modern piece of architecture which is extremely beautiful… And indeed the timber framed houses to certain extent remind me to my home country and to my hometown," he added.

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Tianjin, as the birthplace of modern industry and the cradle of industry in China, boasts unique advantages in manufacturing. In 2021, Tianjin’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) proposes that the development of Tianjin should focus on manufacturing, which is the foundation of the city and the strategic support for its future growth.“We like the strategy very much to support the manufacturing capabilities in Tianjin to make Tianjin a modern manufacturing hub,” said Schrempp.  

Schrempp also expressed his full confidence in the prospects of China-EU economic and trade cooperation. He said: "We believe in the potential of the China-Euro relationships and their future. That’s why we are so much engaged and try to intensify and build these bridges and keep them growing."