Party chief: Qingdao's growth has momentum
By Li Qun ( China Daily )
Updated: 2013-09-30
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A powerful regional economic hub and a major harbor city in northern China, Qingdao has drawn attention from around the globe for its stunning development.
Leveraging its marine economy, the city in East China's Shandong province has embarked on a new venture to develop itself to a greater international metropolis with high energy efficiency, an eco-friendly environment and deep cooperation with experts from across the world.
One of the first 14 Chinese coastal cities to open itself to the world, Qingdao appeals to human resources and investment projects from all over the world, offering them an opportunity to prosper in the city.
Last year, Qingdao's gross domestic product reached 730 billion yuan ($119.27 billion), up 10.6 percent from a year earlier, while its GDP per capita surpassed $13,000.
This fast growth has not faltered this year, with 9.4 percent overall economic growth and an 18 percent increase in government tax and fee revenue in the first six months.
Compared with the same period of 2012, about 150,000 more people have found jobs in the first half of this year.
Qingdao's industrial structure has significantly improved.
From January to June, the city saw a reduction in both GDP energy consumption and sulfur dioxide emissions. Its water consumption remained about the same compared to the same period last year, while its electricity power consumption only increased by 2.7 percent.
As a well-known seaside city, Qingdao has access to 12,000 square kilometers of sea area, more than its 11,000 sq km of land . Its coastline stretches more than 700 km, with 69 islands and 49 bays.
The vast coastal areas and rich oceanic resources are conducive to ocean-related research. That's why a lot of research institutes are clustering in the city.
Now one-third of China's ocean scientific institutes and one-third of Chinese ocean scientists and specialists are working in Qingdao.
And half of ocean tech research projects listed on the National High-Tech R&D Program and 90 percent of ocean related research included in the National Basic Research Program are both conducted in the city.
Qingdao is also the homeport of China's first aircraft carrier the Liaoning and the Chinese manned deep-sea research submersible Jiaolong, which can dive to a depth of more than 7,000 meters.
A number of specialized industrial parks are playing an active role in Qingdao's open economy.
They include two national economic and technology development zones, one national high-tech development zone and two national export-oriented processing zones.
In addition, the Sino-German Eco-Park being built in west Qingdao's Huangdao district will accommodate companies from both countries.