For the 12 th year in a row, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has named Tianjin Economic Development Area（TEDA）as the best investment environment in the country.

The TEDA Administrative Committee said on Thursday Tianjin has topped the list since 1999.

Each year, MOC) evaluates 53 state –level economic and technological development zones by their comprehensive economic strength, infrastructure, operation costs, human resources, social environment, innovation environment, administrative system and growth speed.

TEDA ranks first in comprehensive economic strength, administrative systems, human resources and growth speed, said an official with the TEDA Administrative Committee.

Established in 1984 to open up northern China economically, TEDA is one of China’s first state-approved and national-level development areas as well as one of three functional zones of Tianjin’s Binhai New Area.

As one of the nation's windows to the outside world and most successful state-level development areas, TEDA has attracted plenty of multinational companies. Global giants who have set up operations there include Toyota, Samsung, Motorola and Vesta.

TEDA was also listed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as one of the country’s most dynamic areas. Boosted by large scale projects such as the "big rocket project" and Great Wall Motor's plant, the development area's GDP grew at a year-on-year rate of 21.4 percent by the end of October, 2009.

By Guo Changdong