Laiwu city has officially become a district under the jurisdiction of Jinan, the capital city of Shandong province, local media reported on Jan 9. 

The adjustment of the administrative divisions in Jinan was approved by the State Council. Laiwu city in Shandong province was repealed to become a district of Jinan. 

After the adjustment, Jinan city will now administrate 10 districts and two counties, with an area of 10,244 square kilometers and a population of 8.7 million. 

Jinan and Laiwu border onto each other, enjoy similar folk customs and culture and also have a close connection in economic cooperation. It is expected that the adjustment of the administrative division will assist the integrated development of the city and boost the local economy. 

Wang Kaiyong, an expert of Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, said that the adjustment will help further optimize the layout of Jinan city and promote the joint sharing of infrastructure. 

A map showing Jinan, capital city of East China's Shandong province after the administrative division adjustment. The orange color represents Laiwu district. [Photo/China Daily]