The province of Shandong is now home to 11,466 high-tech enterprises, ranking 6th in China, according a news conference held on Sept 1 by the Information Office of the Shandong Provincial People's Government.

According to Shandong authorities, the province has been ramping up efforts to advance innovation-driven development in recent years and has launched supporting policies to establish a series of platforms and centers to propel technological innovation and scientific progress.

Official data showed that in the first half of this year, the total output value among high-tech industries above designated size in Shandong grew by 0.79 percent year on year, accounting for 44.37 percent of the province's total industrial output value above designated size.

During this period, the province registered 7,617 technical contracts with a turnover of 34.37 billion yuan ($5.04 billion), a year-on-year increase of 61.58 percent.

According to Yu Hongwen, deputy director of the Shandong Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Shandong was praised by the General Office of the State Council in May this year, as the province had made significant progress implementing an innovation-driven development strategy, promoting independent innovation, and developing high-tech industries.