改革开放的春风吹入了渤海湾，1984年12月6日，天津经济技术开发区正式成立。从33平方公里的盐池滩涂起步，泰达迈开了开放、开拓的建设步伐。
On December 6, 1984, as the spring breeze of reform and opening-up blew into the Bohai Bay, the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (abbreviated as TEDA) was officially established. The journey of TEDA’s opening-up and exploration began from the 33-square-kilometer salt fields and wastelands.
从艰难起步到“大有希望”
From a Difficult Beginning to Great Promise
开发区成立初期，两手空空，没有财政上的资金支持，没有现成的模式参考，也没有成熟的经验借鉴，只能“摸着石头过河”，探寻招商引资的突破口。
In the early days of its establishment, TEDA had nothing. There was no financial support from the government or ready-made models to refer to, not even mature experiences to draw from. TEDA people could only “wade across the stream by feeling the way,” searching for breakthroughs in investment promotion.
01从“零”开始
Starting from Scratch
对于一座城市尤其是从一片盐碱荒滩上起步的天津开发区而言，基础设施建设对招商引资和城市发展至关重要。开发区起步于原长芦塘沽盐场三分场，从零开始的泰达，首先亟需解决的是通路、通电、通水和土地平整的问题。只有基础硬件满足了，外资才可能引进来。没有条件就创造条件，泰达人就是有逢山开路、遇水搭桥的勇气和毅力，填滩、开路，夜以继日地奋战在施工现场。他们要在这块寸草难生的贫瘠土地上，画出经济社会快速发展的美丽画卷。
For a city, especially for TEDA founded upon saline-alkali wastelands, infrastructure is crucial for investment attraction and urban development. The first step of TEDA began at the third branch field of the original Changlu-Tanggu Saltpan. At that time, roads, electricity, water supply, and land flattening were in great need. Only when the basic infrastructure was in place could foreign investment be attracted. With courage and perseverance, TEDA battled day and night at the construction site, reclaiming land, paving roads, and striving to paint a beautiful picture of rapid economic and social development on this barren land.
在隆隆的动工声中，道路填平了，电线架好了，水源问题解决了，项目也陆续进来了。据统计，开发区建区仅一年，就签订了21个内外资项目，总投资额达4700万美元，在全国引起了轰动。这一时期，泰达与企业的谈判、合作模式还处于摸索阶段，双方对未来各自的发展并没有完全清晰的认识与完整的规划，外资的进入尚处于试探和观望阶段。
Amidst the rumbling sound of construction, roads were paved, power lines erected, water supply secured, and projects began to pour in. According to statistics, within just one year of its establishment, TEDA signed 21 domestic and foreign-funded projects with a total investment of $47 million, causing a sensation nationwide. During this period, both TEDA and enterprises still fumbled for a way for business negotiation and cooperation. Both sides had neither a clear understanding nor a comprehensive plan for their future development. Foreign investors were in a wait-and-see attitude.
02“开发区大有希望”
“Development Zones Are of Great Promise”
1986年8月21日，中国改革开放的总设计师邓小平同志视察天津开发区，对开发区的发展给予了肯定。“天津开发区很好嘛，已经创出了牌子，投资环境有所改善，外国人到这里投资就比较放心了。”
On August 21, 1986, Comrade Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China’s reform and opening-up, inspected TEDA and affirmed its development. He said, “TEDA is very good. It has already made a name for itself, and the investment environment has improved. Foreign investors would feel more assured about investing here.”
改革没有一蹴而就，也不会一帆风顺，开发区不仅要克服建设上的重重困难，还要排除体制上的阻力。当时有些大胆的年轻人提出了疑问：“听说咱们国家对外开放的政策要收了？”小平同志坚定地说：“对外开放还是要放，不放就不活，不存在收的问题。你们在港口和城市之间有这么多荒地，这是个很大的优势，我看你们潜力很大。可以胆子大点，发展快点。”小平同志的回答澄清了许多疑虑，坚定了泰达建设者们开放、开拓的信念与信心。
Reform is not achieved overnight, nor is it smooth sailing. TEDA had to overcome not only construction difficulties but also institutional resistance. At that time, some young people raised bold questions: “Is our country’s policy of opening-up going to be restricted?” Comrade Deng Xiaoping firmly stated, “We must keep on opening up to the world. Otherwise, we won’t make it. There’s no such thing as restrictions at all. So much wasteland lies between the port and the city, which is a great advantage. I see great potential here. Be bolder and develop in a faster pace.” Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s words clarified many doubts. He reaffirmed the belief and confidence of TEDA pioneers in opening-up and exploration.
为了鼓励年轻人大胆闯出新路，小平同志亲笔题词“开发区大有希望”，不仅为泰达的发展指明了方向，更成为所有开发区最宝贵的思想财富和精神力量。此后，国内外对开发区有了较正确、清晰的认识，前来投资的人也大大增加，开发区进入了一个新的发展时期。
To encourage young people to boldly explore new paths, Comrade Deng inscribed the words “Development Zones Are of Great Promise” by himself, providing not only a guideline for TEDA but also priceless mental wealth and moral force for all development zones across C. It was since then that people in China and beyond had a clearer picture of development zones, followed by a sharp rise in investment. TEDA ushered into a new stage of development.
在“摸着石头过河”中突破创新
Crossing the River by Feeling for Stones- How We Made Breakthrough and Innovation
1986年，美国驻中国大使馆商务参事黎成信访问天津开发区后，向美国国务院报告，认为天津开发区与深圳蛇口工业区是中国投资环境最好的两个区域，将全球投资者的目光聚焦到了开发区。
In 1986, after Prof. George Lee, Commercial Counselor at the US Embassy in China, visited TEDA, he reported to the US Department of State, stating that TEDA and the Shenzhen Shekou Industrial Zone were two best areas in terms of investment environment in China. Global investors hence cast their eyes on TEDA.
01“三不”政策下 放开手脚进行改革
Bold Reform Under the “Three Nos” Policy
天津市政府从政策上给予了开发区建设和发展的保障和支持，对开发区实行不给、不管、不要的“三不”政策。即：不给任何财政拨款用于泰达建设，开发区自筹资金；市政府各部门不干预泰达的具体事务，给开发区充分的自主权；在一段时间内，泰达的财政收入全部用于区域开发建设，不用上缴。在“三不”框架下，开发区拥有了开发建设的高度自主权，建立起一个高效的机构，可以放开手脚进行改革。
The Tianjin Municipal People’s Government provided guarantees and support for the construction and development of TEDA at policy level. There once was a policy called “Three Nos”: no financial appropriations would be offered to TEDA’s construction, and funds had to be raised on its own instead; no departments of the municipal government could intervene in TEDA’s specific affairs, giving TEDA full autonomy; all TEDA’s fiscal revenue could be used exclusively for regional development in a given period of time. Within such policy framework, TEDA was highly autonomous in its development, establishing an efficient mechanism and enabling bold reforms.
当时，申请外资项目需要层层报批，效率低下。开发区设立后，中央将审批权分三个梯度下放到各沿海开放城市，第一个梯度是天津和上海，每个项目总投资的审批权被放宽到3000万美元以下，天津市政府给了开发区2000万美元以内的项目审批权，超过了很多省市一级的权力，直接提升了开发区的办事效率，为开发区发展外向型经济、集中力量兴办中外合资企业、引进国外先进技术提供了广阔的空间。
Back then, applying for foreign-funded projects required lengthy, inefficient administrative approval. After the establishment of development zones, the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China delegated approval authority in three grades to various coastal cities. Tianjin and Shanghai, the two cities of the first grade, held the key to authorize projects with a total investment under $30 million. The Tianjin Municipal People’s Government granted TEDA to approve projects within $20 million by itself, outperforming many provincial-level peers. In such way, TEDA saw greater efficiency and broad space for growing an export-oriented economy, establishing joint ventures, and the introduction of advanced technology globally.
02依法治区
Law-based Governance in TEDA
从建区初期，开发区的招商引资和社会管理就充分建立在法治的基础上。1985年，天津市人大常委会第十二次会议审议通过了《天津经济技术开发区管理条例》《天津开发区企业登记管理条例》《天津开发区劳动管理条例》《天津开发区土地管理条例》等四个地方性法规，为开发区的“依法治区”奠定了坚实基础。这些内容与经济学的“三要素”——土地、资本、劳动力巧妙对应，以法规的形式加固了开发区开放、开拓和转变政府职能的改革信念，间接促进了开发区与企业携手共进、共同发展局面的形成。
The rule of law has been what underlay investment attraction and social governance in TEDA since the very beginning . In 1985, the 12th Session of the Standing Committee of Tianjin Municipal People’s Congress reviewed and approved four local regulations, namely, the Regulations for the Administration of TEDA, the Regulations on the Administration of Enterprises Registration in TEDA, the Regulations on Labor Management in TEDA, and the Regulations on Land Management in TEDA. These regulations laid a solid foundation for the law-based governance locally. They cleverly corresponded to the three crucial elements of economics—land, capital, and labor, reinforcing the belief in opening-up, pioneering, and transformation of government functions in TEDA. As an indirect result, these regulations made TEDA and enterprises to work and grow together.
03“服务型政府”初见雏形
The Emergence of a Service-Oriented Government
在天津开发区，外商从投资开始，所需要解决的一切问题，开发区全给解决，不需要再跑别的地方，初步形成了“一条龙、一站式服务”，“服务型政府”的理念开始萌芽并逐渐得到深入实践。1985年至1986年，开发区相继提出了“投资者是帝王、项目是生命线”“为投资者提供方便，让投资者赢得利润”等一系列“服务型政府”理念的口号，将投资者的需求视为政府的第一需求，并创新地提出建设“仿真的国际投资环境”，让外商在这里享受到国际一流的投资条件和服务，与国际接轨。
From the beginning of their investment, foreign investors have found that all their needs can be addressed by and in TEDA without going elsewhere. This led to the initial establishment of a “one-stop service” pattern. The emergence and gradual implementation of the concept of a service-oriented government soon follows. From 1985 to 1986, TEDA successively put forward slogans such as “Investors are kings, projects are lifelines” and “To provide convenience for investors and enable them to gain profits”, reflecting the concept of a service-oriented government. These initiatives put the needs of investors as the government’s top priority, and innovatively propose to create a “simulated international investment environment”, allowing foreign investors to enjoy first-class international investment conditions and services, thereby aligning with international standards.
由于开发区刚刚起步，对于在这片开放的土地上如何建设、运营，双方都没有经验，丹华、嘉泰陶瓷、哈娜好、梅兰日兰等这些早期企业在项目谈判、厂房建设乃至后期的运营阶段，并不是一帆风顺。双方在合作中摸索，在解决问题中逐步建立信任，在各自的发展中相互促进、共同成长。
As TEDA was just starting, both sides had no experience in how to build and operate on this open land. Early investors such as Danhua, Jiatai Ceramics, Hanaco, and Merlin Gerin faced challenges in project negotiations, factory construction, and later-stage operations. However, both sides kept on looking for solutions and gradually established trust in cooperation. It’s fair to say that TEDA and investors positively contributed to each other and grow side by side.
为了把项目留住，让企业获利，盘活开发区这盘大棋，开发区人可谓绞尽脑汁。在土地、厂房等方面给予企业各种优惠，直接降低其运营成本，这与投资者前来投资获利的宗旨完美契合；按照市场经济的要求，不直接管理企业的经营活动，侧重法治型和间接管理，通过改善服务方式、提升办事效率，推进项目的建设进度与合作的可持续性，让企业引进来、发展得好，不仅为开发区积累了原始资金，还推动了天津的全面开放和改革。
To retain projects and make investors profitable, TEDA spared no effort in brainstorming strategies. In order to reduce their operating costs, TEDA provide various incentives to enterprises in terms of land, factory buildings, etc. This aligns perfectly with the goal of attracting investors and making them profitable. Following the principles of market economy, TEDA did not involve in the administration of business activities straightforwardly. Instead, its way of administration leaned towards rule-of-law and indirect management. Through better ways of service and higher efficiency, TEDA pushed forward the progress of projects and made cooperation sustainable. Consequently, investors can stay and grow. Such way of growth not only accumulated initial funds for TEDA but also promoted Tianjin’s comprehensive opening-up and reform.
