Qingdao received accolades at the "Chinese Beautiful Life City" ceremony in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on May 5, and was recognized as one of the "Top 10 Most Beautiful Cities in China". The coastal metropolis was honored for its high satisfaction across a spectrum of over 20 indicators, including quality of life, infrastructure and governmental performance, with all surpassing the national average.

In 2022, Qingdao's gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 3.9 percent, faster than the nation's overall growth, which highlighted the city's solid economic foundation. Its first-quarter GDP in 2023 topped 350 billion yuan ($50.65 billion), a year-on-year increase of 4.8 percent, which surpassed national and provincial figures.

The city's key industrial developments span 24 sectors, with a primary focus on revitalizing the real economy and bolstering advanced manufacturing. This strategy has fueled the growth of Qingdao's robust private sector, with the number of companies being doubled and market entities reached nearly two million over the past five years.

Alongside economic accomplishments, Qingdao's 2022 achievements included the successful completion of 16 municipal projects, creating over 360,000 new urban jobs and 30,800 entrepreneurs have started businesses.

In addition, ongoing urban renewal efforts, the construction of new educational institutions and vast improvements in environmental sanitation reflect the city's commitment to investing in the urban infrastructure.  

An aerial view of Qingdao, Shandong province.