The planning area for Jinan New and Old Growth Driver Conversion Pilot Zone. [Photo/WeChat account: sdsbqmt] 

The construction of Jinan New and Old Growth Driver Conversion Pilot Zone has been vigorously developed.

The State Council authorized in January 2018 the Shandong Implementation Plan for the New and Old Growth Driver Conversion Pilot Zone, the first regional development strategy in China approved after the 19th CPC National Congress and the first one themed on new and old growth driver conversion. The plan is officially integrated into a national strategy. Shandong will pioneer new and old growth driver conversion and seek to be a national demonstration base.

"We are supposed to advance the construction of the pilot zone with all strength in 2018, which marks the first year of building the New and Old Growth Driver Conversion Pilot Zone," said the Jinan municipal government work report.

The development of the pilot zone was a key recommendation of the fifth Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Jinan Municipal Committee. The session required that it should, adhering to project priority, transport priority, ecology priority and reform priority, take full advantage of priorities to achieve new breakthroughs in the construction of the pilot zone, leading the new and old kinetic energy conversion across Shandong province.

Kinetic Energy Conversion - industrial development focusing on "four-new-industry"

The pilot zone, guided by the concept of "the current investment structure is exactly the industrial structure of the future", has focused on the development direction of the "four-new-industries" principle–new smart manufacturing, new technologies, new services and new consumption–in the process of attracting investment. It has introduced a batch of major industrial projects, laying a foundation for its own sustainable high-quality development.

The planning area for Jinan New and Old Growth Driver Conversion Pilot Zone. [Photo/WeChat account: sdsbqmt] 

"Taking the project of Greenland International Expo City signed on June 23 as an example, this project worth nearly 100 billion yuan ($14.4 billion) covers 453 hectares which will be used to build new centers for the conference sector, scientific and technological innovation and high-end education in Jinan," said Song Weidong, deputy secretary of Party working committee of Jinan New and Old Growth Driver Conversion Pilot Zone and director of its management committee.

Many projects, such as the International Convention and Exhibition Center, the International Conference Center and Qilu State Guesthouse, have aroused wide public interest.

According to Song, the area of the International Convention and Exhibition Center in the Greenland International Expo City project will reach up to 550,000 square meters with 450,000 square meters for indoor exhibition halls. It will be capable of undertaking the largest auto show in China, changing the current situation where Jinan has not had the ability to undertake world-class exhibitions due to limited exhibition areas. 

Such high-end projects can be found everywhere in the pilot zone. The project for China Hydrogen Valley, which was signed in December 2017, is aimed at fostering an innovative cluster of the hydrogen energy industry. 

The innovation cluster will focus on key materials, components, electric piles, dynamic systems as well as the research and development of complete vehicles with hydrogen energy research at its core. 

In addition, efforts will be made to promote and apply hydrogen-power business vehicles, buses and municipal vehicles, facilitating the pilot zone to serve as the demonstration area for hydrogen energy operations. 

Another 10 projects, such as the Cainiao Network Jinan Smart Logistics Center and the Raycom Info-tech Jinan International Info-tech Center, are expected to be signed soon.

Work has started on over 120 significant projects, including Zhongyun production-education-research cluster, the Liandong Technology Valley, the China Resources Health Town and the city complex.

All of these projects will work together to inject new energy into the pilot zone's sustainable high-quality development.

Transport priority – turning the Yellow River from a deep chasm into a thoroughfare

Encouraged by the municipal Party committee and the municipal government, construction of the "three-bridge and one-tunnel" river-crossing project has been succesfully developed in its early stages.

The projects, including the Yellow River Bridge on Qilu Avenue, the Jinan-Luokou Tunnel crossing the Yellow River and the Yellow River Bridge on Fenghuang Road, are also under construction.

The reconstruction and expansion project for the Yellow River Bridge in Jinan was approved by the Yellow River Conservancy Commission on June 19. 

It will be constructed in the latter half of this year, facilitating the transformation of the Yellow River from a "deep chasm" into an inland river in the city. 

At the same time, the pilot zone has also built the northern extension of the "three-bridge and one-tunnel" project, forming the main "one-horizontal and three-vertical" road net crossing the interior section.

The Yellow River Bridge on Qilu Avenue has been extended north to Jinan Round City Expressway by 3.4 kilometers. It serves as the major south-north highway in the west of the pilot zone. 

The Jinan-Luokou Road Tunnel has been extended north to the Sangzidian group along the QueShan Reservoir, with total length now 30 km. It serves as the major south-north highway in the west of the pilot zone. 

The Yellow River Bridge will be extended north to Jinan Round City Expressway with total length of 20 km. It will be the major highway in the middle of the pilot zone.

The Yellow River Bridge on Fenghuang Road has been extended west to Jinan Round City Expressway with total length of 17 km.

These extensions, which will operate synchronously with the channel crossing the Yellow River, will guarantee the seamless connection of major roads alongside the Yellow River, opening up a transport bottleneck and improving the gathering of resources in areas north of the Yellow River.

As well as these new road connections alongside the Yellow River, the pilot zone has also developed a new plan for the road network inside the zone and established a "three-vertical and two-horizontal" expressway network and a "four-vertical and five-horizontal" structural major road network.

A planned 150-kilometer-long rail line will connect with the rail transport network south of the Yellow River. The 120-kilometer-long BRT line will link up with various functional groups.

Meanwhile, a sightseeing rail corridor will be constructed alongside the Yellow River, with brand-new scenery appearing on the banks of the river.

Besides, one Jinan North high-speed railway station will be set up in the pilot zone. It will connect with the national high-speed network, expanding the coverage of the provincial capital and enabling better integration with the regional development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei.