Chinese government's positioning of Tianjin as the northern economic centre shows the strategic considerations to produce national development, but the city still has a long way to go, China Industry Economic News reported.   Zhang Junyi, the spokesperson of Tianjin government, said that with the city’s economic development, it is essential for the city to raise the region's competitiveness on an international level and improve urban planning in coordination with Bohai and Benhai new district.   Ji Renjun, a professor with the school of economics at Nankai Unviersity, said that the economic position of Tianjin is prioritized over Beijing because of the need for a national development strategy. Historically, the roles of Beijing and Tianjin in relation to the rest of the country have been the capital and economic centre, respectively.   Jing Tihua, a researcher with Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out that taking advantage of the rise of Benhai new district as well as the Bohai’s transportation network, Tianjin harbour and Tianjin Bohai airport, Beijing can cultivate a convenient outlet to the sea and an efficient network of well-established sea and air transport in the north.   However, to become a northern economic centre is a challenging task for Tianjin as the city is considered to be 20 years behind Shanghai in development.   Zhou Minliang, a researcher with the China Academy of Social Sciences, said that although Beijing is not the economic centre, it has the function of expanding the economy. It would take Tianjin at least 10 years’ to achieve the status of the northern economic centre.