The research group of the Capital Institute of Science and Technology Development Strategy (CISTDS) recently unveiled the Report on Scientific and Technological Innovation-driven Development in Chinese Cities (2023). The Report launched the ranking list of top 100 Chinese cities in regard to scientific and technological innovation-driven development. Qingdao ranks 12th, improving by 7 spots compared with the previous year, and is one of the top 20 cities where rapid progress has been made.

According to the Report, the top 20 Chinese cities in regard to the scientific and technological innovation-driven development index for 2023 are in sequence Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Wuhan, Hefei, Xi’an, Qingdao, Zhuhai, Chengdu, Changsha, Wuxi, Wuhu, Foshan, Ningbo and Xiamen. Over recent years, Qingdao has beefed up efforts to build itself into an international innovation-oriented city, implemented across the board the innovation-driven development strategy, continued to facilitate high-quality development with scientific and technological innovation and seen an increasingly strong momentum of innovation-driven development. In 2023, the citywide R&D inputs across the society has witnessed a 12.8% increase; 24 projects and 80 projects have won the China Patent Award and the Shandong Provincial Science and Technology Award, representing 50% and 40% of the total number in Shandong Province, respectively; the number of Shandong provincial level and above enterprise technology centers and engineering research centers has reached 239 and 129, increasing by 19 and 22, respectively.  (Geng Tingting)