- Vice Mayor Hwang Hyo-jin greets Tianjin Municipal Committee Member Lian Maojun -

- MOU signed to promote investment and exchange with Tianjin -

Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok) announced on Feb. 23 that Vice Mayor for Global City and Political Affairs Hwang Hyo-jin greeted Tianjin Municipal Committee Member Lian Maojun to discuss ways to strengthen economic cooperation and friendship between the two cities.

The Tianjin delegation toured the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) I-Vision Center to learn about Incheon's development status and ongoing projects before Vice Mayor Hwang's welcome. Later, representatives signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the IFEZ and the Tianjin Pilot Free Trade Zone (TJFTZ) to strengthen exchange efforts in economy and investment. Through this MOU, the two cities aim to encompass free trade zones in their cooperative efforts and expand collaborations in various other sectors. Key areas of agreement include economic and investment cooperation, attracting investment in the bio and medical sectors, and promoting international trade.

Incheon Vice Mayor Hwang stated, "Our relationship with Tianjin is invaluable as it was the first Chinese city to establish a sister-city relationship with Incheon. The two cities share numerous similarities, including ports and free economic zones, and have actively engaged in exchanges, serving as a bridge for bilateral cooperation between Korea and China."

IFEZ Authority Commissioner Yoon Won-seok remarked, "I am pleased that the signing of this MOU between our special economic zones presents an opportunity to advance economic and trade relations between Incheon and Tianjin."

Committee Member Lian Maojun responded, "I was deeply impressed by Incheon's development after visiting the IFEZ promotional center. I sincerely appreciate the strong support for the MOU between our free economic zones. I hope that Incheon and Tianjin will continue to promote exchanges and cooperation across various fields."

Tianjin is one of China's four direct-controlled municipalities, with a population of approximately 13.64 million. The city serves as the centerpiece of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (Jing–Jin–Ji) cluster project, a strategic initiative by the Chinese government to develop the capital region. It is also home to the TJFTZ, which includes the Port of Tianjin, Tianjin Airport, and Binhai New Area. Incheon and Tianjin have maintained active exchanges and cooperation since establishing their sister-city relationship in 1993, a year after diplomatic ties were formalized between Korea and China.