The Jiaodong Economic Circle in Shandong province is ramping up efforts to boost regional collaboration and further integrate high-quality development.

Five cities from the Jiaodong area, namely Qingdao, Yantai, Weifang, Weihai and Rizhao, launched cross-city services for government affairs on May 19, the first practice of its kind in Shandong.

This is another important measure to promote the integration of the Jiaodong Economic Circle after the five cities established a cultural and tourism cooperation union, carried out urban marketing and implemented the integrated development strategy of supply and marketing for agricultural products, local officials said.

"The Jiaodong Economic Circle is the most dynamic and open area in Shandong, and it is the key engine of the regional economy. However, compared with the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, its development is sluggish," said Dong Yanling, dean of Regional Economic Research Institute at Shandong University of Finance and Economics.

Dong added that the integrated development will inject new vitality to the Jiaodong Economic Circle and foster urban agglomeration in Shandong Peninsula.

On Jan 14, the Shandong Provincial Government issued the guidelines on accelerating the integrated development of the Jiaodong Economic Circle. Several rounds of meetings, on-site investigations and expert consultative sessions have been held to further the integrated development of the Jiaodong area.