Penglai district, a fairyland-like place in Yantai, East China's Shandong province has seen dramatic changes in the past decade thanks to the local government's efforts to promote industrial transformation and upgrading.

Located by the sea, Penglai has made full use of its sea resources to develop marine economy. Due to its superior location advantages, Penghai has become a hot investment destination and attracted a great number of enterprises in areas including new chemical materials, marine engineering, grapes and wine, culture and tourism, and green architecture.

Supported by the municipal government and Shandong province, Penglai has started the construction of the Yantai Penglai Offshore Wind Power Equipment Industrial Park, and advanced the development of an international home port for offshore wind power. The home port, with a combined investment of 30 billion yuan ($4.16 billion), will cover a total area of 7.2 square kilometers, and will focus on the research and development, manufacturing and operation of wind power equipment. It aims to promote the integrated development of marine ranches, tidal energy, hydrogen energy and stored energy.

Focusing on improving people's living environment, Penglai has launched a renovation and upgrading project, and the district will complete the renovation of old residential communities, transform a number of large old blocks as well as a number of villages in cities according to local conditions.

Efforts have also been made to improve transport infrastructure, which is considered to be fundamental to boosting economic development, improving people's livelihoods and alleviating the development imbalance between regions. 

In recent years, Penglai's urban function has achieved a new leap forward. Forty urban roads have been completed, 660,000 sq km of green spots have been built, and 122 old urban communities have been renovated, benefiting 26,000 households.

Penglai is a must-visit for those coming to Yantai. In Chinese legends, this is where immortals and deities reside, and it is known as "paradise on earth". The ancient place boasts unique natural scenery and rich history and cultural resources.

The local government launched an action plan to promote the integrated development of culture and tourism sectors, which has proved successful. A wide range of distinctive cultural activities were launched, to promote its tourism brand and boost the recovery of tourism. According to official data, Penglai received more than 3.8 million visitors in July and August this year, which generated a total tourism revenue of 4.57 billion yuan.

The district has also made great strides to promoting local industries including apples, grapes, sea cucumbers, and rural tourism to advance rural vitalization. Advanced technologies have been widely used to promote smart agriculture, and five apple planting demonstration centers have been built, which not only have brought higher incomes to local farmers, but also injected new life into the district's rural vitalization.

In Chinese legends, this is where immortals and deities reside, and it is known as "paradise on earth". [Photo/WeChat account: ytwlgw]