A bird's-eye view of Qingdao's elevated roads. [Photo/Qingdao Daily]

Qingdao, a coastal city in China's eastern Shandong province, has fortified its urban foundation through a comprehensive development strategy, emphasizing improved infrastructure, efficient land use, and enhanced transportation.

Over 421 billion yuan ($59.12 billion) was invested in 135 projects over the past two years, including 20 main roads like the Second Jiaozhou Bay Tunnel, according to the municipal government.  

To tackle commuting challenges, the city has strengthened efforts to eliminate travel bottlenecks and ease congestion, upgrading nearly 60 roads for better connections, with plans for 94 more over the next three years.

The city's subway system, with 150 stations and 318 operational kilometers, already ranks among the country's top 10 networks. With 10 more lines currently under construction, it is set to expand connectivity from the city center to suburban areas.

Qingdao's external transportation infrastructure also received a significant boost with the launch of the Jinan–Zhengzhou High-speed Railway on Dec 8. The rail lines link Jinan, capital of Shandong province, and Zhengzhou, Henan's provincial capital, while passing through Qingdao and other cities.

Qingdao's progress extends beyond transportation. The city has also made efforts to increase land use efficiency and has planned six industrial parks for virtual reality, artificial intelligence, new display technologies, green materials, marine biopharmaceuticals, and intelligent manufacturing, paving the way for the introduction of key projects and new industrial competitiveness.