Qingdao-based area emerges as rising hub for regional growth

Officials from East China's Shandong province highlighted the growing role of the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area in boosting connectivity, trade and cultural exchanges across the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, calling it an increasingly vital platform for regional cooperation.

Established in Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong, in 2018, the demonstration area has grown into a hub for international logistics, modern trade, two-way investment and cultural exchanges, officials said at a news conference in Tianjin on Friday.

Song Junji, vice-governor of Shandong, said the demonstration area has injected "fresh vitality and positive energy" into SCO cooperation. The Qingdao-based area is becoming "an influential platform for cultural exchanges, resource integration and major events, making active contributions to building an SCO community with a shared future".

Over the past six years, projects with a combined investment exceeding 150 billion yuan ($21 billion) have been launched in the area. The area's trade with SCO countries has increased by an average of 56 percent annually, driving Shandong's investment in SCO countries to grow by an average of 38.3 percent per year, Song said.

Zhang Xinzhu, secretary of the demonstration area's Party working committee, described the area as a "connector of resources".

Since 2018, the demonstration area has organized 33 overseas visits to 15 SCO countries, including Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, facilitating 19 signed projects, Zhang said, adding that Qingdao's network of sister-city relationships within the SCO has also expanded from four cities in three countries to 15 cities in 11 countries.

He said that the demonstration area now works with 27 provinces and more than 30 opening-up platforms nationwide to help form a cooperative framework with the demonstration area at its center.

Chen Baiwei, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong, said the demonstration area has emerged as a "bridgehead" for people-to-people exchanges.

Since its establishment, the area has hosted 65 high-level delegations from SCO countries and more than 400 diplomatic events, including the 2025 SCO Forum on People-to-People Friendship and the SCO Forum on Green Development.

Wang Lei, director of the Department of Commerce of Shandong, said that China's role as this year's rotating chair of the SCO has provided fresh momentum for cooperation, exemplified by the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference, which was held at the Qingdao-based demonstration area on July 17 and 18. The conference featured 10 major sessions and multiple side activities, creating what Wang called "a new platform for enterprises to network, explore opportunities and deepen partnerships".

Looking ahead, she said that Shandong will continue to enhance its cooperation with SCO governments and enterprises, strengthen industrial and supply chain connections, and foster new achievements in trade, investment, logistics and cultural exchanges.

Gao Jian, vice-mayor of Qingdao, emphasized that the city has made full use of its geographic, transportation and industrial strengths to enhance local-level cooperation with SCO countries. Gao said that Qingdao has ranked first among China's coastal ports in sea-rail intermodal transport for 10 consecutive years. It operated 32 domestic and international freight train routes that now connect with 54 cities across the SCO and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. He added that over 8,000 Qingdao-based enterprises carried out import and export activities with SCO countries in 2024.