Tai'an achieved its best-ever results in Shandong's 2025 county-level economic development evaluation, with Taishan district winning the most improved award, while Xintai and Feicheng, two county-level cities in Tai'an, were both recognized as outstanding performers.

In the first half of this year, Tai'an's GDP reached 205.17 billion yuan ($30.53 billion), growing 6 percent — the second-highest growth rate in the province.

Taishan district, the central urban area of Tai'an, focuses on modern services and urban industries. More than 80 new brand stores have opened in Taishan district over the past two years, including leading retailers like Hema Fresh, the supermarket chain owned by Alibaba Group. Relying on Taishan Mountain, Taishan district has planned 10 distinctive cultural tourism zones, using its natural resources to create new and vibrant business models.

Xintai has transitioned from coal dependence to high-end manufacturing. The coal sector's share of output fell from 19.2 percent in 2019 to 8.9 percent in 2025, while new industries — including advanced equipment and modern food — now account for 75.82 percent of the city's total output.

In 2025, Xintai's power transmission industry hit 10 billion yuan in revenue, while modern food and mining equipment passed 5 billion yuan. Its intelligent lifting and smart power transmission manufacturing clusters were recognized as provincial-level characteristic industrial clusters.

Feicheng became Tai'an's first county with a GDP exceeding 100 billion yuan in 2025. Its salt-cave compressed air energy storage project uses the world's largest single-unit high-speed motor, with its storage capacity reaching 1,260 MW. The city has also built a full lithium-battery supply chain spanning from raw materials to recycling.

As each district and county forges its own path, Tai'an is turning local strengths into regional power through a model of coordinated, high‑quality development.

With diverse industries and coordinated growth, Tai'an's counties are building a stronger, more resilient economic future. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]