Qingdao recently announced the achievements it has currently scored in regard to urban renovation and construction. According to data, in 2023, Qingdao has finished the building of 100.4 km-long urban greenways, 6 hilltop parks, 83 pocket parks, 51 boulevards and 126 sites of vertical planting, seen 7,600 mu of afforestation, made targeted improvements in 20,000 mu of forested areas, and had 150 old trees rejuvenated, in a sign of never-ending changes in the construction of a park city

Qingdao is launching the campaign to vitalize “obscure corners”, which refers to the efforts to transform tiny spaces concealing themselves in city corners into leisure sites for citizens. In regard to vitalizing “urban roads by the sea and mountains”, Qingdao is continuing to improve the greenway system and working to establish a citywide green service system by interconnecting residential communities, green land in parks and commercial streets through greenways. In respect to vitalizing “green land in urban parks”, Qingdao is ramping up efforts to popularize the philosophy of “park+” and make hilltop parks increasingly cultural.

Reportedly, Qingdao plans to have all coastal greenways linked up, improve services in Taiping Mountain Central Park and Fushan Forest Park, prioritize tapping into old urban areas in combination with micro urban renovations, and see an addition of 18 comprehensive parks (community parks), 140 pocket parks and 35 boulevards by 2024.  (Liu Dong)

 An aerial view of a fitness park in Qingdao.  By Liu Dong