The Gaoqing Economic Development Zone in Shandong was established in December 2002 with a planned area of 12 square kilometers.In March 2006, it was approved by the Shandong Provincial People’s Government for upgrading to a provincial-level development zone. It passed the provincial environmental impact assessment acceptance in 2007, was named one of Shandong Province’s Top Ten Ecological Economic Development Zones in 2008, was recognized as one of China’s Top Ten Development Zones with the Best Investment Environment in 2009, and was designated as a Shandong Provincial Low-Carbon Economy Demonstration Zone in 2010. It is a key low-carbon circular economy demonstration zone being developed by the Ministry of Commerce.
In line with the objectives of a low-carbon, high-efficiency, ecological, and circular economy park, the Economic Development Zone was planned and designed with a layout structure of “three north-south corridors, four east-west corridors, two central axes, two major zones, and six clusters.” This has fostered five major industrial clusters: textiles and apparel, petrochemicals, machinery manufacturing, bioengineering and food processing, and new building materials.The zone is equipped with a thermal power plant and a sewage treatment plant, achieving the “Eight Utilities and One Land Leveling” (water, electricity, heating, natural gas, roads, drainage, telecommunications, and cable TV) as well as separate storm and sanitary sewer systems. It has reached a supporting capacity of 200,000 cubic meters of daily water supply, 80,000 tons of daily sewage treatment, and 400,000 cubic meters of daily natural gas supply.There are currently 55 enterprises above designated size. In 2010, the zone achieved a total industrial output value of 9.329 billion yuan, sales revenue of 9.193 billion yuan, and profits and taxes of 1.287 billion yuan; it recorded imports of 71.19 million USD, exports of 138.09 million USD, and actual foreign investment of 11.84 million USD.