Qingdao recently printed and issued the 2024 Qingdao Work Priorities for Seekig High-quality Development of West Coast New Area, which comprises 23 measures in seven categories including "speeding up the construction of a pioneering area for maritime economy".

Speeding up the construction of a pioneering area for maritime economy is among the goals. Solid steps will be taken to include the third phase of Qingdao port’s automated terminal and the corresponding bonded logistics area into the Qingdao Qianwan Comprehensive Bonded Zone. All efforts will be made to strive for the inclusion of the Dongjiakou Commodity Storage and Transportation Base into national planning. Support will be rendered to Qingdao port’s Dongjiakou and Qianwan harbor district to add new shipping routes. The West Coast New Area will press ahead with the building of “Deep Blue No. 2” truss-type cages and the blue maritime economic complex.

The paper calls for speeding up the construction of a pilot area for high-quality development featuring environmental protection and de-carbonization. The new area will push for digital transformation among a larger number of companies, and strive for six provincial level “smart plants”, “digital workshops” or “intelligent manufacturing scenarios”. Sustained efforts will be made to build up strength in provincial level emerging industry clusters such as integrated circuits and new-type display, and to ramp up the production capacity of end-use ultra-high-definition video products. The area will continue to press ahead with the construction of the Qingdao New-type Display Industry Park (Qingdao Economic and Technological Development Zone) and the Green and Low-carbon New Materials Industry Park (Dongjiakou Economic Zone).

The construction of a pioneering area for independent scientific and technological innovation will also be expedited. With priority given to integrated circuits, new-type displays and hydrogen energy among other sectors, an all-out effort will be made to launch scientific and technological programs of all levels and support businesses in tackling problems in key technologies. Support will be rendered to the Center for Ocean Mega-science Chinese Academy of Sciences in all respects ranging from platform building and basic research to industry, education, international cooperation, etc.  (Yang Guang)

The Qingdao FTZ global novel consumption experience center in the West Coast New Area.