The gross domestic product (GDP) of East China's Shandong province rose by 12.8 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, totaling nearly 3.89 trillion yuan (about $600.71 billion), according to an announcement at a news conference held by the Shandong Provincial People's Government.

Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong province, is rich in marine resources and has strengths in research and innovation. [Photo provided to CHINA DAILY]

Despite the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the province's average annual GDP growth for the past two years was 6.1 percent, said local authorities.

In the first half of this year, the added value of primary industries totaled 265.34 billion yuan, up 7.4 percent year-on-year, with an average growth of 4.1 percent in the past two years.

The added value of secondary industries reached 1.51 trillion yuan, up 11.8 percent year-on-year, with an average growth of 5.4 percent in the past two years.

The added value of tertiary industries reached 2.12 trillion yuan, up 14.2 percent year-on-year, with an average growth of 6.8 percent in the past two years.

In the first half of this year, the total output of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishing in Shandong as valued at 481.86 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.2 percent and a two-year average growth of 5.1 percent.

The added value of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 16.1 percent year-on-year, with a two-year average growth of 7.7 percent.

Total retail sales of consumer goods reached 1.55 trillion yuan, up 24.5 percent year-on-year, with an average growth of 6.1 percent in the past two years.

The province's foreign trade surged by 42.2 percent year-on-year to 1.34 trillion yuan in the first half of this year.