The Information Office of the Shandong Provincial Government held the seventh news conference for "Unswervingly Promoting High-quality Development" on Feb 22 to interpret the "Opinions on Accelerating the Construction of a Science and Technology Powerful Province in the New Era" and introduce Shandong's in-depth implementation of the innovation-driven strategies.

Sun Haisheng, director of the Department of Science & Technology of Shandong province, said Shandong is striving to be the vanguard of the country's self-reliance and strength in science and technology.

In 2022, the province's investment in science and technology reached 14.52 billion yuan ($2.1 billion). The document proposes that the number of high-tech enterprises in Shandong is estimated to exceed 40,000 and the number of national science and technology-based SMEs could hit 50,000 by 2027. The output value of high-tech industries above designated size is expected to account for more than 53 percent of the total industrial output value.

Focusing on new-generation information technologies, high-end equipment and industrial chains, Shandong plans to launch 100 major scientific and technological innovation projects this year and focus on research fields such as hydrogen energy, the Beidou Navigation Satellite System and synthetic biology. It also plans to expand application scenarios for new technologies and products to empower strategic emerging industries.

"We will promote the characteristic industrial clusters of SMEs and build 10 provincial-level manufacturing clusters. We aim to cultivate more than 200 national 'little giant enterprises', or specialized and sophisticated technology enterprises that produce unique and novel products this year," said Wang Yufu, chief economist of the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Shandong Province.

Li Kundao, deputy director of the Shandong financial supervision bureau, said the province has established a sci-tech innovation board in its two regional equity markets, which offer specialized services such as capital operation, road show training and investment and financing docking.

Shandong strives to introduce more than 700,000 young talents within the year, according to Gong Wendong, deputy director of the Organization Department of the Shandong Provincial Party Committee.

"Centering on marine, advanced manufacturing and modern agriculture fields, we will establish 10 joint education consortiums in five years and cultivate a group of top-notch innovative talents in basic disciplines and engineering technology," said Xing Shunfeng, deputy director of the Shandong Provincial Department of Education.