With a focus on building up the strength of the regional logistics center, the modern trade center, the bilateral investment and cooperation center and the commercial and tourism cultural exchange and development center, the recently-unveiled Opinions of Shandong Provincial People’s Government on Supporting High-quality Development of China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area (SCODA) has put forward 21 measures to step up the construction of the SCODA to help set up a model for local economic and trade cooperation under an international multilateral framework.

As indicated in the Opinions, the SCODA will be positioned as a national level logistics hub by leveraging the construction of the SCO International Pivotal Port. Furthermore, the SCODA will strive to build itself into a collecting and distributing center for electric vehicles, solar cells and lithium batteries to target SCO member states. In regard to bilateral investment and cooperation, the SCODA will prioritize industrial internet and high-end equipment, among other fields, to introduce a new batch of innovation-oriented projects and accommodate upstream and downstream enterprises. Additionally, the Opinions call on increasing support for the establishment of liaison offices of overseas NGOs and efforts to build a visa center in Qingdao for SCO member states and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. (Cao Sen)