Zhangqiu district bolsters industry chain strategy with project signings

Zhangqiu district in Jinan, Shandong province, held a signing ceremony for 21 investment projects with a combined value of 15.43 billion yuan ($2.19 billion) on May 17.

These projects are related to a wide range of sectors, including equipment manufacturing, aerospace information, biopharmaceuticals, new materials, cultural tourism, and health preservation.

One of the projects has an investment value of over 5 billion yuan, and four had investments ranging between 1 billion and 5 billion yuan.

During the ceremony, the district introduced a first-of-its-kind "Land Supermarket" platform in the city which will be used to streamline land allocation for businesses and match businesses with suitable land. The debut of the platform marks a shift from the city's previous approach of seeking land for projects to selecting projects based on land availability.

Zhangqiu has pivoted from its original investment strategy to an industrial chain investment strategy that is focused on attracting enterprises across the chain to create an integrated industrial ecosystem. The current focus is on projects related to new technologies, emerging industries, and high-end capacities.

The district is also incubating various projects and establishing R&D and technical centers to further enhance innovation and development. In addition, a proactive project management model and a 2-billion-yuan industry guidance fund have been introduced to spur growth.

To create a more conducive business environment, Zhangqiu has simplified project approval procedures and reduced the number of processing steps by over 50 percent.

In terms of talent development, Zhangqiu district is presently relying on 13 comprehensive and vocational schools to nurture a diverse pool of skilled individuals. In the past two years, the district had 28 talents selected for provincial and municipal talent programs. Their valuable expertise and contributions have significantly bolstered the district's innovation and competitiveness.