The theater in Oriental Movie Metropolis in Qingdao, a place known for incubating art and cultural projects, is designed in the shape of shells, which has a close connection to the city's ocean culture. [Photo/IC]

Accelerating the building of a city suitable for working, living and traveling

In 2019, the Qingdao government will keep improving its efficiency in handling government affairs, building a legal system of justice, and creating a convenient working and living environment.

Enhancing cultural soft power

Qingdao will continue its construction of a civilized city by practicing socialist core values in every aspect of social development, carrying out civic moral construction, and strengthening law education and legal publicity among its citizens.

The city will continue to strengthen its cultural construction. It will encourage reading among residents, build more public facilities for the popularization of science, expand the Qingdao Museum, promote a film and television culture, encourage cultural exchanges with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, and improve incentives for excellent cultural works.

Ensuring and improving people's wellbeing

In 2019, the Qingdao government will create more than 300,000 new jobs in the city's urban areas and help 15,000 people start businesses.

Sixty standardized kindergartens will be built and expanded in the city as well as 100 dining halls at middle and primary schools, which are part of the city government's plan to promote the development of a modern education system. Construction of the Qingdao Vocational College of Engineering is expected to start in 2019. The construction of the innovative development base of Harbin Engineering University, the science and education new town of Beihang University, and the second stage project of Qingdao campus of Shandong University will be also sped up.

Qingdao will build 20 pre-hospital first-aid stations, 40 traditional Chinese medical centers, and 100 fitness areas to improve the city's medical health service system and promote the "nationwide fitness program".

The city will raise the pension benefits for retired people and disability allowance for workers injured at work, and improve the social assistance system and the caring service system for left-behind children, women and the elderly in rural areas by increasing social security benefits.

In 2019, the city will also improve the housing market and security systems. It is expected that the area of newly constructed talent apartments will reach 1 million square meters, 6,000 affordable houses will be provided for people in need, and 28,000 houses in the city's shanty towns and 489 dangerous buildings in the city's rural areas will be renovated.