East China's Shandong province will beef up efforts to promote the interactive development of Jinan and Qingdao, as stated in its government work report during the 14th Shandong Provincial People's Congress on Jan 20.

Improving infrastructure connectivity is the foundation for the synchronized growth of metropolitan areas. Progress has been notable in building transportation links between Jinan and Qingdao. The Jinan-Qingdao high-speed rail operates like a bus, significantly increasing the number of trains shuttling between the cities to almost a hundred pairs, departing every six minutes.

The opening of the Jinan-Weifang section on the Jinan-Qingdao central line completes a vital road connection, being the third major route directly linking Jinan and Qingdao. Projects like the high-speed rails of Jinan-Qingdao, Jinan-Zaozhuang, Laiyang-Rongcheng, Weifang-Yantai, and Mingdong Expressway have improved transportation, facilitating economic and cultural exchanges between the metropolitan areas.

Industrial cooperation is the core of the coordinated development of metropolitan areas. Jinan and Qingdao metropolitan areas have vast space and potential for industrial cooperation. Despite sharing some key industries, their differences offer a basis for cooperation.

The coordinated development of the Jinan and Qingdao metros will create a mutually beneficial relationship. Given the current trend of interactive development among metropolitan areas in China, the partnership between Jinan and Qingdao will be a key move for the urban agglomeration of the Shandong Peninsula.