China has embarked on a new development journey and Shinan district – in Qingdao city in East China's Shandong province – is reportedly among those leading the way, striving to innovate and meet the full potential of its tech-savvy productivity.

As the core urban area of Qingdao, before 2017 Shinan hardly had any platforms for science and technology transformation, or few policies to support high-tech enterprises. 

However, since 2017 that all changed and Shinan started to cultivate a high-quality ecosystem for science and technology enterprises, introducing a number of platform projects which took root and flourished after 2019.

In 2020, the turnover of technology contracts in the district was 7.3 billion yuan ($1.13 billion), with 34 new high-tech enterprises adding to the district, bringing the number of high-tech enterprises settling in the district to 236.  

Not long ago, more than 500 local enterprises and a number of high-end talents were given the 2020 Shinan District Economic Development Policy Award, taking home a total of 260 million yuan.

In addition, the SCO Member Technology Transfer Center in Shanghai, which was established last November in Shinan, become the first platform in Shinan for international scientific and technological cooperation – integrating marketization, internationalization and specialization in China.

In terms of the digital economy, Shinan has taken the lead in building a 5G gigabit, broadband gigabit and double-gigabit demonstration area. In so doing, it has installed 809 base stations and is working with consumer electronics company Hisense Group to implement a 5G+ new-type smart city demonstration area project, in order to promote full coverage of the 5G network.