QINGDAO will further strengthen its role as a transport hub on Shandong Peninsula in its future development.

    The relocation and expansion of the city’s airport, which was close to its designed handling capacity, had been listed as an important item on the city’s development agenda in the next five years, according to Zhang Chaochao, director of the development and reform commission of Shandong Province.

    The location of the new airport is still under discussion and will function as a connecting point for Metros, expressways and inter-city railways.

    In addition, preparation work on the railway between Qingdao and Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province has been progressing well.

    Extending over more than 190 kilometers, the railway will be built with a 21-billion-yuan investment by the Ministry of Railways, Shandong Province and Jiangsu Province. The work will take three years and geological exploration for the railway is due to start soon.

    The railway’s designed speed is 200 kilometers per hour.

    (Martin Li, Yu Feng)