As a pivotal city in the Shandong Peninsula, Qingdao pioneers the implementation of ecological protection and high-quality development along the Yellow River basin. [Photo/WeChat account: opinionline]

Opening-up of Yellow River region and aiding its businesses a central focus of Shandong province

As a pivotal city in the Shandong Peninsula, Qingdao has pioneered the implementation of ecological protection and high-quality development along the Yellow River basin. The city is striving to develop as an economic gateway and portal for the opening-up of the Yellow River region, fulfilling its commitment to promoting industrial cooperation and cultural exchanges and leading efforts in environmental protection and water conservation.

Qingdao of Shandong province has made remarkable achievements in pioneering high-quality development throughout the Yellow River region.

Serving as an opening-up portal of the Yellow River region, Qingdao has seen an improvement in its customs clearance assistance, said Geng Tao, vice-mayor of Qingdao.

In August, local authorities and businesses joined hands to launch a mechanism to assist cooperation between inland ports and the Yellow River region.

With the continuous upgrading of port facilities, Qingdao's automated terminals have reached an internationally advanced level. Key infrastructure projects including a Pan-Asian terminal and a crude oil depot in Qianwan Port are under construction and parts of the infrastructure have been put into use, according to Geng.

Qingdao in Shandong province. [Photo/WeChat account: qd12301]

This year, Qingdao Port has added 18 new shipping routes, bringing the total number of container shipping routes to more than 220, reaching more than 700 ports across more than 180 countries and regions. The density of shipping routes ranks first in northern China.

So far, inland ports in Qingdao have increased to 39, including 34 along the Yellow River basin. And a Yellow River basin land-sea coordinated development alliance and a logistics hub development alliance have been established. Currently, the city has 74 sea-rail intermodal train routes. Such transport for the first three quarters of this year reached 1.7 million standard containers, up 17.3 percent year-on-year.

In addition, Qingdao's integrated service platform for China-Shanghai Cooperation Organisation local economic and trade cooperation offers one-stop solutions for trade, customs, logistics and finance for businesses throughout the Yellow River region to participate. Based on the service platform, the city operates 31 domestic and international freight trains, connecting 54 cities across 23 countries and regions involved in the SCO and the Belt and Road Initiative. From January to October, 775 trains were run, representing a year-on-year increase of 25 percent.

The Qingdao pilot free trade zone has initiated an online-based cross-region coordination pattern, signing cooperation agreements with 33 functional areas in provinces throughout the Yellow River region for integrating administrative approvals, allowing 480 items to be handled.

Utilizing strengths in industries such as new-type displays, artificial intelligence and integrated circuits, Qingdao has encouraged its businesses and institutes to cooperate with technological players throughout the Yellow River region. For instance, the city has joined hands with Xi'an, Shaanxi province, to hold a conference for promoting advanced industries and the commercialization of scientific results. Moreover, Qingdao has held two sessions of the Yellow River Basin Cross-border E-commerce Expo, helping businesses to reach cooperation intentions worth a total amount of 765 million yuan ($107.26 million).

Apart from cooperation, efforts have been made in environmental protection and low-carbon development throughout the Yellow River region.

From 2021-22, Qingdao conducted a special action plan to achieve zero carbon emissions during its heating season. As a result, there was no heavy pollution across the whole city for the first time. In 2022, the number of days with excellent air quality in the urban area reached 323 days, accounting for 88.5 percent of the year.

The city has also implemented green measures in response to the country's dual carbon goals. Qingdao achieved the goal of reducing carbon emission intensity by 4.48 percent in 2022, which was set by Shandong province. Energy consumption intensity decreased by 5.3 percent compared to 2020, exceeding the 4.9 percent target with the efficiency level of energy consumption output per unit ranking first in Shandong.

To boost its construction as a demonstration city of water conservation, Qingdao has rolled out plans to build a modern water network and a seawater desalination project. It has established the first domestic seawater desalination design and research institute and implemented the world's first project for lithium extraction from seawater brine, achieving a daily seawater desalination capacity of 324,000 cubic meters.

Visitors check out a booth at the 2023 Yellow River Basin Cross-border E-commerce Expo held in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo/China Daily]