The China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area in Qingdao. [Photo/Dazhong Daily]

Since its establishment in 2018, the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area (SCODA) has been comprehensively bolstering policies, regional connectivity, trade facilitation, finance, and people-to-people exchanges with SCO member states and countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Over the past five years, SCODA has driven Qingdao's trade volume with SCO member states from 36.13 billion yuan ($5.07 billion) in 2018 to 87.36 billion yuan in 2022, with an average annual growth rate of 24.2 percent.

Transport hub

SCODA has given full play to Qingdao's unique, comprehensive transport network featuring land, sea, rail, and air routes and is marching toward becoming a modern hub port that links logistics among SCO member states.

It is home to Shandong's 4F-level airport, railway container central station, and the first airport-based comprehensive bonded area. The area has access to 203 scheduled air routes, 145 domestic and international destinations, and 31 rail lines, reaching 23 countries and 54 cities.

On July 26, 2018, the multimodal transport center of SCODA was launched to facilitate economic and trade exchanges with SCO member states; and on May 12, the first China-Europe freight train SCO Express loaded with 150 domestically produced cars, was sent from the center to Uzbekistan.

The China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area. [Photo/Dazhong Daily]

One-stop services

In addition to logistics, energy, and other infrastructure, SCODA promotes resource sharing and intensifies regional factor mobility through better services in economy and trade to achieve greater interconnectivity, mutual trust, and integration.

In November 2022, SCODA launched the country's first one-stop public service platform for local economic and trade cooperation with SCO member states.

The platform has three main functions, namely information display, function application, and data release, with eight significant modules, 73 sub-functions, and typical applications such as cross-border credit investigation, customs clearance inquiry, and paperless transfer business. Currently, nearly 5,000 enterprises have joined the platform.

In the first quarter of this year, boosted by the platform, Qingdao's trade with SCO member states reached 24.25 billion yuan, up 44.9 percent year-on-year.

Currently, 6,400 companies in Qingdao have trade relations with the SCO countries. The city has 169 SCO enterprises with a total investment of $450 million.

Expanding friendship circle 

Over the past five years, SCODA has maintained close relations with SCO member states and BRI countries and extensively enhanced people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding.

Inside the Qingdao SCODA Pearl International Expo Center, all 20 exhibition areas display SCO member states' customs, special products, and unique cultural characters.

Qingdao also holds various activities to strengthen cultural exchanges, including the 2022 "SCO Summer" Youth Gala Week, the SCO Media & Think Tank Online Forum, and the Travelogue of China for domestic and foreign media.