Yantai has emerged as Shandong's fastest-growing major economy, reporting over 13 percent industrial growth with balanced development across manufacturing, services, and marine sectors. This performance reinforces its position as a key regional hub after surpassing 1 trillion yuan ($143.23 billion) in annual GDP.

The manufacturing sector drives this growth through strategic upgrades. Major projects like the Yulong Island petrochemical complex progress alongside emerging industries, with clean energy and biomedicine becoming national-level clusters. With advances in nuclear and offshore wind power, Yantai is emerging as a hub for clean energy in northern China.

Infrastructure investment provides robust support, with 152 provincial key projects in 2025 totaling over 900 billion yuan launched. Projects such as the Weichai New Energy Power Industrial Park boost long-term competitiveness.

Services contribute significantly as the largest GDP component, fueled by cultural-tourism integration. Concerts, film production, and festivals attracted over 100 million tourists last year, generating approximately 120 billion yuan in revenue.

Marine industries maintain strong momentum with output exceeding 300 billion yuan. Advances in marine farming, offshore renewables, and specialized shipbuilding position Yantai as a national leader across multiple marine sectors. For the city's next development phase, a multi-dimensional growth strategy will reinforce its role as a regional economic powerhouse driving Shandong's overall progress.