QINGDAO has sped up its development on industrial transformation since 2008, building a new economic system to promote reforms and opening up, private economy and new industries.

    The city has started its construction on blue economic zones, targeting becoming a leading city in the Shandong Peninsula.

    Transformation promotes blue economy

    “Over the past five years, Qingdao has tried hard to promote transformation,” said an official from the city’s commission of reform and development.

    Since 2009, the city has promoted its ocean economy and industries. As of now, the construction of Blue Silicon Valley, Western Costal Economic Zone are being planned. Five blue economy key projects with total investment of 33.5 billion yuan are undergoing smoothly, while the first batch of 260 project database worth 600 billion yuan will start soon.

    In 2010, the added value of the city’s blue economy increased by 16 percent over the previous year, while the added value of the blue economy is expected to reach 66 billion yuan in 2011.

    Industrial production volume hits new high

    A batch of key projects in electronic appliances, vehicle manufacturing, petrochemicals, textiles, food and drink, iron and steel and ship manufacturing areas has started production since the past five years. In 2010, the city’s industrial production volume reached to 1 trillion yuan for the first time.

    The city also introduced a series of high-end industries and key technologies over the past five years. 72 companies in the old town area have been relocated to new industrial areas as of the end of last year. Total investment on their relocation was 24.3 billion yuan and their sales revenue reached 82.2 billion yuan after relocation, increasing by 200 percent.

    Meanwhile, many industries were relocated from downtown city to suburban districts.

    New industries

    The city has also introduced a batch of new industries to promote development during the past five years.

    As of the end of last year, the city had introduced about 150 key projects to new industries. Among these, 128 projects have already started construction.

    Several key industrial parks in new industries, such as the advanced manufacturing industry, high technology park, biological industrial park, are under construction. Most of these parks are in the information technology, new material, biological, advanced equipment manufacturing, new energy, energy saving and new-energy vehicle areas.

    Modern service industry

    The city also plans to become a city of the modern service industry to promote industrial upgrading.

    As of the end of last year, there have been 647 service companies with sales revenue of more than 100 million yuan.

    The city has also made progress in the financial, logistical, tourism, information and cultural industries.

    So far, there have been six provincial service industrial parks, 12 city-level service industrial parks and 25 key service industrial parks. About 300,000 people are now working in the area.

    Blue economy helps

    development

    In 2011, Qingdao set the target for becoming a “blue silicon valley in China” to promote the city’s development.

    “According to the strategy, the city will become a research center for ocean technology, a center for technology professionals, an incubating area for ocean research and a base for industrial development,” said an official.

    As of the end of last year, the first phase of the city’s national ocean science and technology laboratory has been completed, while a platform for biological medicine was in operation. Other projects will also be started.

    Meanwhile, the city is also working on building an ocean scientific research incubator and industrial base. Several bases for new ocean medicine, biolgocial products, alga processing and shipping material will be built.

(Wang Yuanyuan, Lin Gang)