Top legislator Wu Bangguo has urged Tianjin, a port city neighboring Beijing, to speed up development to become an economic hub in the country's north during an inspection tour to the city on Monday and Tuesday.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, told officials to strive for better financial services and modern, high-end business functions at the Tianjin Binhai New Area, a pilot for many of the country's new economic and financial policies.

He visited a rocket industrial base and the bonded zone at the area, calling for more efforts to develop the country's new generation OF heavy-lift launch vehicles and build Tianjin into a world logistics and shipping center.

As an excellent seaport with sound industrial foundation and plenty of land resources, Tianjin should make full use of the opportunities of developing the Binhai New Area and optimizing its industrial structure, said Wu.

Wu had taken a ride on the Beijing-Tianjin express railway, which was on a month-long trial with a designed speed exceeding 300 km per hour, before arriving at Tianjin. He called for safe operation of the high-speed railway and faster development of the country's railway system.

(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2008)