Overview

Tianjin has emerged as one of China's most dynamic hubs for the financing leasing industry, marked by steady asset growth, strong innovative capacity, and a comprehensive institutional ecosystem.

As the only city in the country hosting a national leasing innovation demonstration zone, Tianjin has leveraged policy support to drive the development of more than 40 innovative leasing models and products, reinforcing its position as the world's second‑largest aircraft leasing cluster and China's top center for ship and offshore engineering leasing.

By June 2025, Tianjin's cross‑border leasing of ships and offshore equipment accounted for over 90 percent of the national total, while the city's leasing companies reached 2.3 trillion yuan ($330.28 billion) in total assets. Green leasing has become a rising force, with its share exceeding 20 percent and continuing to expand.

The city's leasing ecosystem has been shaped by a decade of reform. Since the launch of the China (Tianjin) Pilot Free Trade Zone in 2015, Tianjin has led national efforts in policy and regulatory innovation – ranging from foreign‑exchange and customs reforms to tax and legal frameworks. These measures have enabled pioneering models such as bonded leasing, offshore leasing, and green leasing, along with multiple judicial and regulatory pilot programs.

Tianjin also encourages leasing companies to support small and medium-sized enterprises, green and low‑carbon projects, and strategic industries. By the end of 2024, the asset balance of leasing companies serving SMEs in the city totaled 576 billion yuan, up 15 percent year-on-year. The city's green leasing asset balance stood at 557.4 billion yuan, a 16 percent year-on-year increase.

Looking ahead, Tianjin aims to establish three world‑class centers – aircraft leasing, ship leasing, and offshore trade via export leasing, while advancing the development of a globally competitive national leasing innovation demonstration zone.