Shandong’s ‘Twin Stars’ Jinan and Qingdao Join Forces Again: The Jiqing Midline is Confirmed!
In the development of urban economic circles across China’s provinces, two predominant models emerge. The first is the core city-led model (also known as the provincial capital economic circle), exemplified by cities like Chengdu in Sichuan, Wuhan in Hubei, Zhengzhou in Henan, Hefei in Anhui, Nanchang in Jiangxi, Xi’an in Shaanxi, and Harbin in Heilongjiang. In this model, the core city holds absolute advantage, driving and radiating influence across the region.
The second is the ‘Twin Stars’ model (provincial capital + leading provincial city), as seen with Hangzhou and Ningbo in Zhejiang, Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong, Nanjing and Suzhou in Jiangsu, and Quanzhou and Fuzhou in Fujian. Here, two powerhouse cities within the province consolidate resources and lead development collaboratively. Shandong Province firmly falls into this latter category.
Jinan and Qingdao: Shandong’s Dynamic Duo
Jinan and Qingdao serve as Shandong’s iconic ‘Twin Stars.’ Jinan radiates influence across central and western Shandong, while Qingdao extends its reach throughout the central and eastern parts. Together, they create a seamless, comprehensive coverage that energizes the entire province.
Jinan’s Resurgence
Jinan’s advantages weren’t always obvious; it was once overtaken by Yantai. However, through the strong provincial capital economy strategy and the annexation of Laiwu, Jinan has solidified its position as the ‘second strongest’ in the province. In recent years, Jinan has embraced transformation, vigorously promoting new growth drivers like digital economy, internet-plus, and artificial intelligence. Its economy has seen substantial growth, poised to join the ‘trillion-yuan GDP club’ imminently. As the strong provincial capital strategy advances, Jinan’s strengths will become increasingly prominent.
Qingdao’s Resilience
Qingdao’s journey hasn’t been smooth either. In 2019, it experienced significant economic turbulence—revised statistics slashed nearly 100 billion yuan from its GDP, effectively stalling growth for over a year. It was overtaken by Ningbo and Wuxi, dropping to 14th place nationally. Nevertheless, Qingdao’s robust foundation and progressive mindset have fueled its recovery. Embracing the strategy ‘Learn from Shenzhen, Catch Up to Shenzhen,’ and leveraging the Jiaodong economic circle, Qingdao has expanded its developmental depth and space. The future looks promising.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite their strengths, Shandong’s ‘Twin Stars’ face challenges compared to pairs in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong. Mega-regions like Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong drive world-class bay area development; Shanghai-Hangzhou-Nanjing lead China’s largest economic circle; and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei steer integrated regional growth. Sandwiched between Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the Yangtze River Delta, Shandong has struggled with sustaining momentum. Although Qingdao has begun direct links to the Yangtze River Delta bypassing Jinan, these rapid corridors are still under construction, and their full potential remains untapped.
The Strategic Jiqing Midline
In this context, strengthening the connection between these ‘Twin Stars’ and creating a province-wide economic circle has become imperative. To enhance connectivity, infrastructure must lead the way—hence the launch of the Jiqing Midline. According to Shandong’s party newspaper Dazhong Daily, the Jinan-Weifang section commenced construction in June, with the Weifang-Qingdao section advancing simultaneously. Both segments are set to open concurrently.
This new route links Jinan, Zibo, Weifang, and Qingdao into a cohesive corridor, radiating benefits to surrounding towns and counties. It alleviates traffic congestion on the northern Jiqing line and avoids the mountainous inconveniences of the southern route. By facilitating smoother movement of people and goods, it fosters integration between the Jinan economic circle and the Qingdao-Jiaodong economic circle, achieving a synergistic ‘1+1>2’ effect. This is pivotal for Shandong’s transition to new growth drivers.
As part of Shandong’s ‘Nine Vertical, Five Horizontal, One Ring, Seven Radial, Multiple Connections’ transport network, the Jiqing Midline acts as a catalyst—connecting points into lines, and lines into areas—bridging the Jiaodong, Jinan, and Southern Shandong economic circles. It propels the realization of a ‘strong, prosperous, and beautiful’ new Shandong.
The Jiqing Midline is a masterstroke in Shandong’s development playbook, destined to bring Jinan and Qingdao into a tighter embrace, fueling the province’s transformation and renewal like the legendary phoenix rising from ashes.
