TIANJIN — China's Tianjin Municipality has received approval to set up three new comprehensive bonded areas in its Binhai New Area, according to local authorities.

Comprehensive bonded areas are special commercial zones that enjoy favorable taxation policies and are managed by customs officials.

The State Council, China's cabinet, approved the upgrade of the Tianjin Export Processing Zone, Tianjin Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone, and Tianjin Bonded Logistics Park to comprehensive bonded areas. Now, Tianjin has four comprehensive bonded areas covering 13.41 square km.

As important platforms for an open economy, comprehensive bonded areas are significant to developing foreign trade, attracting foreign investment, and promoting industrial transformation and upgrade, said Liu Xintong, deputy director of Tianjin Customs, at a news briefing on June 8.

Taking advantage of the location and policies, the zones will focus on aircraft and ship leasing business, full chains of the automobile import trade, inspection and maintenance industry, service trade, and other industries.

Huang Chunyan, deputy director of the Tianjin Commission of Commerce, said at the news briefing that Tianjin will take advantage of the policies on the comprehensive bonded zones to promote the open economy to a higher level.

Total imports and exports by comprehensive bonded areas across China reached 2.9 trillion yuan ($407 million) in 2019, up 11.9 percent year-on-year, contributing 30 percent to growth of the country's foreign trade.