The innovation capability of Shandong has been improving over the years due to the province's measures aimed at enhancing its independent innovation capability, said local authorities.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), the province implemented nearly 1,000 major scientific and technological innovation projects in new-generation information technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and other fields. It also made a number of major scientific and technological innovation achievements such as key technologies for the powertrain of heavy commercial vehicles. In addition, 143 projects from the province had won national science and technology awards.

The number of high-tech enterprises in Shandong currently stands at 14,600, ranking sixth in China. The output value of new and high-tech industries accounted for 47.41 percent of industrial output value above designated size and has an average annual growth rate of more than 2.5 percentage points.

The province is also becoming a magnet for senior talents. By the end of June this year, the number of academicians in Shandong had reached 101, while the number of national leading talents was 1,224.

To optimize the allocation of scientific and technological resources, Shandong has set up a "provincial scientific and technological innovation development fund" with a scale of no less than 12 billion yuan ($1.86 billion) every year. The fund focuses on the four key innovation fields of major key generic technology, major original innovation, major technological innovation guidance and industrialization, and major innovation platform projects.