By 2025, the regional gross domestic product (GDP) of the Shandong provincial capital economic circle, which includes Jinan, Zibo, Tai'an, Liaocheng, Dezhou, Binzhou, and Dongying, is expected to generate more than 3.6 trillion yuan ($523.01 billion) and its resident population should reach about 38 million, according to Shandong province's three-year (2023-25) action plan for building a green, low-carbon, high-quality development pilot area, which was released on Jan 3.

According to the action plan, Jinan will integrate industry, science and education, cultural tourism and ecological resources to accelerate the coordinated development of Jinan, Zibo, Jinan, and Tai'an, and promote the integrated development of Jinan and Dezhou, Jinan and Liaocheng, as well as Jinan and Binzhou.

The action plan also encourages highly efficient coordination between the provincial economic circle with the Jiaodong economic circle, which includes Qingdao, Weihai, Rizhao, and Weifang, and the economic circle, which includes Linyi, Zaozhuang, Jining, and Heze.

The action plan sets the task for Jinan and Qingdao to jointly develop and lead other cities including Zibo, Yantai, and Weifang to contribute to the high-quality development of the Shandong Peninsula.

Shandong's provincial capital Jinan. [Photo/Jinan Times]