The eastern coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province has combined the protection and renewal of historic urban areas with the improvement of the living environment of its residents. That's boosted the development of local industries and created top tourist attractions.

Qingdao offers magnificent views of vivid red tiles, lush trees, blue sea and azure skies. [Photo by Yu Hao/Guanhai News]

Qingdao boasts wonderful landscapes replete with "mountain, sea, city and bay" and it's also raising the profile of its international, fashionable and youthful tourism image. [Photo by Yu Hao/Guanhai News]

This bird's-eye photo shows the wonderful summer scenery in Qingdao's historic urban areas. [Photo by Yu Hao/Guanhai News]