Yantai in East China's Shandong province will host senior executives from world-leading multinational corporations (MNCs) for talks, site inspections and cooperation discussions from Sept 9 to 11.

As one of China's first coastal cities to open up, Yantai has attracted over 100 Fortune Global 500 companies. Recent expansions by Henkel, Air Liquide, IBM, DSM-Firmenich and Atomy underscore their growing confidence in the city.

Henkel's Kunpeng adhesive factory — its fifth expansion in Yantai — is now fully operational, targeting 6 billion yuan ($840 million) in annual output by 2027. Finia-Delphi has expanded seven times since 2012, investing over $500 million. Air Liquide launched its only Asia-Pacific equipment plant in Penglai and added a $69.7 million acquisition last year.

The partnership is also shifting its focus from manufacturing to innovation. Atomy opened its first overseas brand center in Yantai on Sept 1, integrating R&D and branding. The IBM Global AI Innovation Center was established in March to empower local industries. DSM-Firmenich increased its stake in its Yantai joint venture to 90.5 percent, creating a world-class pectin hub.

What truly sets Yantai apart is its strong industrial ecosystem. As the first northern Chinese prefecture-level city to exceed 1 trillion yuan in GDP, it boasts 37 of 41 major industrial categories, allowing MNCs to source partners within the city — reducing costs and boosting efficiency.

"Multinationals today value industrial maturity, innovation vitality and policy stability — areas where Yantai has excelled for over four decades," said an official from the Yantai Investment Promotion Center. For Yantai, attracting global giants is only the start; the true test lies in helping them thrive.