Wen Jinrong, a deputy to the National People's Congress and mayor of Jining, Shandong province, recently emphasized Jining's commitment to implementing the national government work report, focusing on high-quality development and innovation.

Jining has a robust industrial foundation, with a strong presence in advanced manufacturing and a business environment consistently rated as one of the best in the province, said Wen.

The city is expected to see over a trillion yuan ($138 billion) in industrial output by strengthening its key industries, including high-end equipment, high-end chemicals, new energy, new materials, new-generation information technology, food, and pharmaceuticals. Major projects like the CATL New Energy Battery and Japan's Komatsu Global Smart Manufacturing Base are expected to boost industrial growth, he added.

Jining is the birthplace of Confucius and Mencius and a cradle of Chinese civilization. It has hosted the International Confucius Cultural Festival 41 times and the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations 10 times. Leveraging its rich culture and history, Jining plans to develop a number of major projects, aiming to become a world-renowned cultural tourism destination.

Additionally, with a port cargo throughput of over 96 million metric tons last year, the city is set to serve as a northern shipping hub using its advantageous inland waterways, which will support Shandong's opening-up, according to Wen.

Jining, the hometown of Confucius, in Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]