Yantai, a coastal city in East China's Shandong province [Photo/VCG]

The coastal city of Yantai, Shandong province has been included China's top 100 cities for foreign trade in 2019, according to a list released by the General Administration of Customs.

The list is based on factors including a city's foreign trade competitiveness, structural competitiveness, efficiency competitiveness, development competitiveness and potential competitiveness.

Yantai was ranked 25th on the list. The top 10 cities were Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Xiamen, Suzhou, Zhuhai, Ningbo, Chongqing and Qingdao.

Yantai, which is home to vibrant industries and abundant marine resources, has attracted investment from many Fortune 500 companies over the years.

Launched in August 2019, the new Yantai Area of the China (Shandong) Pilot Free Trade Zone has helped the city open up in terms of investment, finance, education, and medicine.

Local authorities have also permitted more foreign-owned or foreign-funded enterprises to operate and invest in more areas.

The city has established trade relations with 217 countries and regions and sister city relations with 30 cities.