Since its official launch last September, the Harbin area of the China Heilongjiang Pilot Free Trade Zone - located in Harbin city, capital of China’s northernmost Heilongjiang province - has made considerable progress in attracting companies to establish themselves there.

Released statistics showed that a total of 2,800 enterprises registered in the Harbin free trade zone (or Harbin FTZ) between January and July this year, a year-on-year increase of 20 percent compared with the period when Harbin had not established its own FTZ in Harbin New Zone.

Newly-registered foreign trade enterprises in Harbin FTZ reached 519, a year-on-year increase compared with the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the ranking of the business environment in Harbin FTZ among the world's 190 economies has risen from 80th to 52nd since its establishment, according to the latest assessment based on the World Bank Business Environment Evaluation System.

Simplified business registration procedures, innovative business services and preferential policies have contributed to Harbin FTZ’s investment and business registration growth.

For example, Harbin FTZ rolled out initiatives to simplify registration and company start-up procedures in June, shortening the entire process to within one hour.

Harbin FTZ’s innovative business environment and services have now drawn the attention of German entrepreneurs.

Cao Wei, commercial director of Germany Haou International Co, has been visiting Harbin for business inspections since September, representing many German enterprises, and is impressed by its new policies and services.

”There are high-efficiency and good-quality business services and a lot of business opportunities here,” Cao said.