The Qingdao Metropolitan Area Development Plan (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) was recently printed and issued. Located in the east part of the Shandong Peninsula city cluster, the Qingdao Metropolitan Area, which faces eastwards Japan and South Korea across the sea and sits back westwards against the vast hinderland of the Yellow River Basin, is among the regions that lead China in economic development, innovation capacity and openness.

According to the Plan, the Qingdao Metropolitan Area consists of Qingdao, the center, and Weifang, Rizhao and Yantai, three cities that have close ties with Qingdao. With a total land area of 21,500 square kilometers and a permanent population of 15.58 million, the Metropolitan Area is mainly composed of the entire Qingdao, Zhucheng and Gaomi under Weifang, Donggang District in Rizhao, Laiyang, Laizhou and Haiyang under Yantai.

According to the Plan, which makes a blueprint for the Qingdao Metropolitan Area, by 2030, key metrics regarding urban integration will see continuous breakthroughs, internal drivers of growth will be further improved, and a modern metropolitan area will be largely established, featuring clearly defined spatial structure, urban functional complementation, orderly factor mobility, high-efficiency collaborative innovation, industrial division and coordination, smooth transport and logistics, balance in public services, and livable and harmonious environment.

(Yang Guang)

The spatial layout of the Qingdao Metropolitan Area.