The Qingdao WCNA was approved as a State-level new area by the State Council on June 3, 2014, becoming the ninth State-level new area in China and the only State-level new area in Shandong province. The new area is located on the west side of Jiaozhou Bay in the coastal city of Qingdao and is one of the three main urban areas of Qingdao. It covers 2,096 square kilometers of land and about 5,000 sq km of ocean. Focused on driving the marine economy, the Qingdao WCNA is a crucial force spearheading Qingdao's socio-economic development.