Original Title: Notice from the Shandong Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology on Issuing the "Measures for the Cultivation and Recognition of Advanced Manufacturing Clusters in Shandong Province (Interim)"
Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1: These Measures are formulated to implement the strategic directives set forth in the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China regarding the construction of a modern industrial system and the building of a manufacturing powerhouse; to further deepen the transformation of old and new growth drivers in our province; to promote green, low-carbon, and high-quality development; to accelerate the construction of a strong province in advanced manufacturing; to establish a tiered system for the cultivation and development of clusters; to foster a group of advanced manufacturing clusters with strong competitiveness; and to standardize the recognition and management of advanced manufacturing clusters in our province.

Article 2: For the purposes of these Measures, an “advanced manufacturing cluster” refers to an industrial organizational form formed through collaborative innovation and mutual cooperation within a specific geographic area, comprising a number of manufacturing enterprises with high-end industries, advanced technologies, rational layouts, and scientific management, as well as associated institutions such as research institutes and cluster development promotion organizations.

Article 3: A cluster development promotion organization refers to a non-governmental, non-profit independent legal entity capable of fully facilitating cooperation and exchange among cluster members, strengthening networked collaboration within the cluster, enhancing the cluster’s collaborative innovation capabilities, and improving the level of industry self-regulation. Such organizations must be registered within the territory of the People’s Republic of China, maintain sound operational and financial conditions, have no adverse credit records, and possess a sound organizational structure and comprehensive rules and regulations.

Article 4: The Municipal Bureaus of Industry and Information Technology are responsible for organizing the application process for clusters within their respective regions. The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology is responsible for the recognition, management, and guidance of provincial-level advanced manufacturing clusters; it shall formulate recognition criteria, organize provincial-level recognition and supervision and evaluation, and provide guidance on follow-up cultivation efforts.

Article 5: Provincial-level advanced manufacturing clusters shall follow the principle of voluntary application, with the application submitted by the respective industrial cluster development promotion organizations. Where industrial ties are particularly close, joint applications across administrative regions may be submitted based on actual circumstances.

Article 6: Shandong Province’s advanced manufacturing clusters are recognized annually and reviewed every three years.

Chapter II: Application Criteria and Procedures

Article 7: Applications for Shandong Provincial Advanced Manufacturing Clusters must simultaneously meet the following basic conditions:

(1) High-end industrial positioning. The cluster’s dominant industries fall within the scope of advanced manufacturing, demonstrating high-quality development, strong resilience, and ample potential. The cluster must host a relatively concentrated group of high-growth, high-quality enterprises—such as “Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative” (SRUI) enterprises, manufacturing single-champions, and high-tech enterprises—capable of leading the industry toward green, low-carbon, and digitally empowered development. Its flagship products must possess distinct characteristics, high technological content, and high added value.

(2) High industrial concentration. The spatial layout and functional positioning of the industry are scientifically sound and reasonable; competitive advantages are evident; supporting capabilities are robust; and scale and agglomeration effects have been achieved. The cluster’s development plan is scientifically sound and reasonable; industrial and supply chains are stable; and it possesses a significant number of high-end industry leaders, as well as public service platforms such as national and provincial enterprise innovation centers, enterprise technology centers, industrial design centers, and key laboratories. The cluster demonstrates strong capacity to supply and efficiently utilize essential factors such as talent, technology, capital, and information.

(3) Strong industrial driving force. Leading industries focus on key areas such as industrial foundation restructuring and industrial chain optimization and upgrading, and actively undertake major national and provincial projects. Leading enterprises in the cluster support the development of the “chain leader system” ecosystem, thoroughly implement initiatives to integrate and strengthen industrial chains, and achieve a high level of local supply chain coverage for flagship products, effectively promoting symbiotic growth and mutual benefit among enterprises in the industrial chain.

(4) Broad scope of collaborative innovation. The cluster possesses a close and efficient division of labor and collaboration mechanism centered on industrial, innovation, capital, and talent chains. The average R&D intensity and proportion of scientific researchers among cluster enterprises exceed industry averages. The cluster actively participates in the formulation and revision of international and domestic standards, and demonstrates outstanding achievements in industry-academia-research collaboration and the application of intellectual property.

(5) Effective Promotion Organizations. The cluster’s development promotion organizations possess the capacity to facilitate cooperation and exchange among cluster members. They feature sound organizational structures, clear service objectives, sound management systems, abundant innovative vitality, and strong self-sustaining capabilities. They are capable of coordinating relationships among all parties within the cluster and wield significant influence within the industry, demonstrating notable capabilities and achievements in fostering the healthy development of the industry.

(6) Efficient Open Cooperation. An open cooperative environment and a cluster governance mechanism based on consultation, joint construction, sharing, and mutual benefit have been established. The cluster demonstrates strong competitiveness in the international market through coordinated participation, engages deeply in cooperation and exchanges with foreign enterprises and institutions, utilizes foreign investment effectively and efficiently, and maintains a high level of internationalization in brand development.

(7) No particularly major or major production safety accidents, nor any particularly major or major sudden environmental incidents, have occurred within the cluster’s enterprises over the past three years.

Article 8: The application and recognition of Shandong Province’s advanced manufacturing clusters shall follow the procedures below:

(1) Organization of Applications. The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology issues a notice of application. The industry and information technology departments of each city (or, for advanced manufacturing clusters spanning multiple administrative regions, the city where the applicant is located) organize relevant cluster development promotion organizations to submit applications, conduct preliminary reviews of the authenticity and compliance of the materials, and issue recommendations.

(2) Review and Evaluation. The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology shall conduct a re-examination of the application materials. For clusters that pass the re-examination, the Department shall organize defense presentations and expert reviews to draft a shortlist of candidates for Shandong Provincial Advanced Manufacturing Clusters.

(3) Public Notice and Announcement. After the shortlisted list is reviewed and approved by the Department’s Party Leadership Group meeting or executive meeting, it shall be publicly posted on the official website of the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology for five working days. Upon the conclusion of the public notice period without objections (or if objections are raised but verification confirms compliance with the criteria), the clusters shall be officially recognized.

Chapter III: Cultivation and Management

Article 9: The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology shall establish a cultivation pool based on the selection results, implement targeted measures focused on key aspects of cluster development and enhancement, guide and supervise clusters in systematically planning key objectives and tasks, and strengthen planning guidance and policy support.

Article 10: Candidates recommended for the creation of National Advanced Manufacturing Clusters shall, in principle, be selected from among Provincial Advanced Manufacturing Clusters.

Article 11: Industrial and Information Technology departments at all levels shall provide priority support for project applications, platform development, recognition and selection, and policy support for enterprises within provincial-level advanced manufacturing clusters, thereby promoting the concentration of high-quality resources and factors within the clusters.

Article 12: By the end of April each year, the provincial-level advanced manufacturing cluster development promotion organization shall report on the previous year’s cluster development to the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology. The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology shall organize comprehensive evaluations, analyze common issues, and propose corresponding measures.

Article 13: For recognized provincial advanced manufacturing clusters, the localities where they are located shall assume primary responsibility for their cultivation and enhancement. Municipal departments of industry and information technology shall strengthen organizational guarantees, take the lead in establishing coordination mechanisms for work advancement, issue special action plans, clarify overall planning, development goals, key tasks, and supporting measures, keep abreast of cluster construction and operational status in a timely manner, increase support for cultivation, foster a favorable development environment, and promote the intensive, clustered, and high-quality development of advanced manufacturing enterprises.

Article 14: Provincial-level advanced manufacturing clusters shall be subject to dynamic management and reviewed every three years. The scientific soundness and implementation status of the cluster’s special action plan shall serve as key references for the review. Clusters that fail the review, or are found to have engaged in fraud or violated relevant laws and regulations, shall have their designation as a Shandong Provincial Advanced Manufacturing Cluster revoked in accordance with established procedures.

Chapter IV: Supplementary Provisions

Article 15. These Measures shall come into effect on the date of their promulgation.