With an target at lifting Qingdao’s urbanization level, optimizing and integrating the city’s land resources, it plans to form a network-based urban structure utilizing a clustered layout with Jiazhou Bay as the core. It will achieve effective connections among clusters with clear function orientations and establish a “bay-rimmed, cluster-based and multi-tiered” new development pattern for the city. The city boasts a population of 9.5 million, and it is expected that the urbanization rate of the city will increase to around 75 percent.

Section One Overall Development of Central Urban District

The city aims to break through systemic barriers that hamper the overall development of the six districts and achieve overall integration of urban planning, infrastructure, urban administration and social undertakings. It plans to perfect urban function designs, rationalize public resource layouts, make overall improvements to urban carrying capacity and service level, and narrow the gap between the east and west, as well as the north and south. It is estimated that the population of the central urban district will reach 4.5 million. It will also become an administrative, cultural, modern service industry and high-end manufacturing center of Qingdao. In order to expand the scale of the central urban district and form a Jiazhou Bay-rim urban framework, it plans to incorporate Jimo and Jiazhou into the central urban district.

Emphasis is laid on the development of Laoshan, Huangdao and Chengyang to achieve overall urbanization of Qingdao and to expedite the development of the high-tech industry, modern service industry, seaport-based industry and airport-based economy to push forward the progress of urbanization of the rural area. Moreover, the city will engage in overall planning and construction of urban districts and rural communities to coordinate and boost the old town and old rural area renovation. It will also support new urban district construction, enhance supporting facilities, optimize urban spatial forms, and construct an ecological and livable modern new district.

Optimize and promote the development of the four districts of Shinan, Shibei, Sifang and Licang Qingdao will enhance modern service functions in finance, commerce and trade, headquarters economy and culture creativity. It will speed up the improvement of the urban environment and further explore its development potential. It will emphasize infrastructure and public service facilities construction in the north and perfect service functions in northern Qingdao. It will attach importance to protecting and utilizing old blocks and buildings to expedite the construction of featured blocks. It will highlight the culture characteristics of buildings to improve the city’s quality and demonstrate its charm.

Expedite construction of the high-tech zone With the high-tech zone Jiaozhou Bay northern industrial park as the core, Qingdao will speed up the construction of the Hongdao cluster and push forward concerted development with peripheral regions including Chengyang and Jiazhou. Modern infrastructure including intelligent communications networks, heating, cooling, power, gas and water networks as well as all optical networks will be constructed in the high-tech zone. Supporting public service facilities for education, culture, sanitation and sports will be constructed accordingly to improve comprehensive service functions. Innovative resources will be converged in the construction of the city’s innovation center and sci-tech and business center so that it will become a strategic emerging industrial highland in Qingdao. A third generation ecological and sci-tech city characterized by high economic growth, a friendly ecological environment and a developed society will take shape.

Qingdao will advance the construction of crucial nodes and expedite the construction of Jiazhou Bay-rim nodes including Shinan International Shipping Service Zone, Shibei Xiaogang Bay, Binhai New Zone, Licang Transportation Business Zone, Chengyang International Aviation Town and Huangdao Northern District. It will plan the construction of new districts with huge development potential and boost the construction of Shibei Beer Cultural Leisure And Business Zone, Sifang Urban Xinduxin, Licang Ecological Business-Living Zone, Chengyang Central Leisure Zone, Laoshan Science & Technology Town, and Huangdao International Eco-Wisdom Town. It will wtrengthen the functions of central urban district and seize the opportunity to host the World Horticulture Expo 2014. It will perfect the infrastructure in the neighboring regions, improve service functions and push forward development in the northern part of Qingdao.

Section Two Development of Four Cities

On the basis of overall development of Qingdao, the city aims to expedite the construction of urban areas in four cities, key clusters and major central towns and to efficiently connect to the central urban districts through the convenient traffic network. The four cities will serve as major carriers for urbanization and to accommodate the rural migration population.

Expand and strengthen the urban areas in four cities Qingdao will focus on lifting urban carrying capacity, coordinate and advance the construction of new urban areas and the renovation of the old town, map out the overall layout of public service facilities, and scientifically allocate comprehensive public facilities for education, medical care, recreation and sports, and commercial services. It will strengthen the construction of the traffic network and build up a regional traffic hub covering urban and rural areas with convenience and speed. It will encourage population concentration in urban areas of the four cities so that the population in the urban area of Jiazhou, Jiaonan and Jimo will reach around 600,000, respectively. It will build Pingdu and Laixi so that their populations will reach around 450,000, respectively. It will grow these cities into medium-sized modern cities with advanced industries, concentrated talent, complete functionality, livable eco-environment and diversified features.

Accelerate the construction of key clusters Qingdao will engage in cluster-style development of regions with huge industry development potential, ideal environments with large bearing capacity, and excellent population concentration conditions. It will gradually develop urban construction, population management and public services and promote local residence and employment of surplus labor.

——Shaohai Cluster It will rely on the construction of the Jiaozhou Bay new industrial zone, map out a plan for the development of Jiaozhou Shaohai new town and the Jiaozhou bay new industrial zone and enable them to gradually merge into the central urban district. It will accelerate the construction of functional zones for landscape housing estates, vacation and tourism, urban commerce and ecological wetlands. It will create a new seaside town featuring concerted development of the modern services industry and high-end manufacturing industry.

——Dongjiakou Cluster It will rely on the exploitation and construction of Dongjiakou Port and make unified plans for the development of the Dongjiakou port area and Lingang industrial zone. It will integrate neighboring towns, including Boli town, and boost the rapid development of southern Jiaonan through the development of port logistics, marine technology, petrochemicals, metallurgy and equipment manufacturing. It will create a modern blue new port town.

——Wenquan Cluster Itwill rely on major conferences and exhibitions, scientific research, and tourism and vacation projects in the eastern part of Jimo and utilize the unique characteristics of mountain, sea and hot springs to create a comprehensive plan for Wenquan town, Aoshanwei town and peripheral areas. It will build a national marine scientific and technical innovation base, Shandong peninsula high-end conference center, business conference and exhibition center, and tourism and vacation center. It will achieve total improvement of comprehensive service functions and form a new hot spring town.

——Jiangshan Cluster The Jianshan cluster will rely on the construction of the Jiangshan light industry functional zone. The city will plan Jiangshan town and Liquanzhuang town, push forward the construction of supporting infrastructure, focus on the development of the light manufacturing industry, promote population concentration and establish Jiangshan new town.

——Xinhe Cluster Qingdao will rely on the Xinhe chemical industry function zone and surrounding transportation networks, including Huibu station of the Lancun-Yantai railway, to map out unified plans for the development of Xinhe town and Huibu town. It will focus on the development of fine chemicals, commerce, trade and logistics, and agricultural machinery. It will turn the area into a regional logistics and information flow center and establish Xinhe new town.

Qingdao will boost the development of key central towns into small cities. It will scientifically adjust the town layout and make active and steady adjustments in city construction. It will focus on the development of Wangtai town, Boli town, Ligezhuang town, Puji town, Tianheng town, Huashan town, Huibu town, Nancun town, Jiangshan town and Nanye town and endeavor to construct these towns into small cities with relatively developed industries, complete functions, distinct characteristics, and strong influence so that they will become crucial nodes connecting major cities and developing rural areas. The township population is expected to reach 50,000 to 100,000.

(The above is an excerpt from the Outline of the 12th Five-Year Plan for Qingdao National Economy and Social Development)