Facing the global energy transition and technological advances, the city of Dongying – located at the Yellow River estuary in East China's Shandong province – is revitalizing its traditional industries, while fostering emerging sectors.
In 2024, Dongying's industrial output above the designated scale grew by 9.5 percent, ranking it second in Shandong. High-tech industries contributed a whopping 36.5 percent of that value – reflecting a seismic shift towards innovation.
In fact, the city has upgraded its traditional industries with green, intelligent and high-end technologies, creating new growth opportunities.
Since 2020, Dongying has allocated nearly 300 million yuan ($41.72 million) to support the technological transformation of its businesses and it launched new industrial upgrading plans in 2023.
Dongying is also capitalizing on its special resources to boost emerging industries, especially solar power and wind power. By the end of 2023, its installed renewable energy capacity reached 8.01 million kilowatts – 1.5 times that of thermal power – and new energy storage capacity hit 1.15 million kW, accounting for one-sixth of Shandong's total.
These efforts are said to have formed an integrated green energy supply chain – advancing Dongying's goal to be a world-class offshore wind power equipment base and a wind power hub port.
Innovation is viewed as being the key: The city has developed eight high-level platforms across petrochemicals, rubber tires, new energy, new materials and the maritimeeconomy.
Between 2022 and 2024, high-tech enterprises grew at an average of over 30 percent annually, attracting young talent and increasing invention patents by 48 percent. R&D investment exceeded 10 billion yuan during the period, while the digital economy nearly doubled in value.
All in all, Dongying is deemed to be setting a sterling example of sustainable, innovation-driven development.
