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.