The eastern coastal city of Yantai has long been famed for its favorable regional advantages, long history, rich cultural resources and natural beauty. [Photo/WeChat account: yantai fabu]

Last year Yantai was named a National Forest City, which was a huge honor recognizing the city's environmental protection work. The woodlands in Yantai cover over 533,333 hectares, and the ratio of forest coverage has reached 40 percent, the highest in Shandong province.

The city is also home to a number of top academic and research institutions which provide human and technical support for regional economic development.

Innovation has become the crucial engine powering the city's leapfrog development. It has been named a national pilot innovative city, a national intellectual property rights protection pilot city and a pilot city for the innovative development of the marine economy.

A beautiful sunset view of the Port of Yantai, which has always been a major trading port for northern China, and a key starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. [Photo/Jiaodong.net]

Through more than 30 years of reform and opening-up, Yantai has made great achievements in education, culture, public health, sports and other areas. It has won countless national and international awards and titles such as a 2005 UN Habitat Scroll of Honor Award, and was named one of China's most beautiful and unique tourist destinations in 2016. It was also chosen as a China Excellent City for Leisure and a National Civilized City four years in a row.

The convenient three-dimensional traffic network of Yantai. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]