Yantai's two sessions in 2016 started on Feb 16. The mayor Zhang Yongxia prepared a work report at the sixth session of the 16th Yantai Municipal People's Congress, drafting the city's future plan.

Innovative and coordinated development

In the next five years, the port city will strive to build itself as an innovative one, home to entrepreneurs and makers and a well-off city.

The high-tech industry will be the pillar industry for Yantai. By 2020, the output value of the high-tech industry will occupy 43 percent of the total industries.

Coordinated development will be promoted to develop a layout that the central area, high-tech industrial zone in eastern area and the port industrial zone in western area make joint growth, while ecological development will be given with equal emphasis. In coming five years, the city's forest coverage will be more than 42 percent.

The focus of foreign trade will be shifted from quantity to quality. By 2020, the foreign trade volume is expected to reach $ 63 billion. The per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents will be increased to over 50,000 and 30,000 yuan, respectively. The unemployment rate will be controlled within 3.5 percent.

Focuses

The city will focus on the construction of China-South Korea (Yantai) Industrial Park and Shandong free trade zone, as well as 380 key projects worth 1.5 trillion yuan. In terms of transportation, the Longkou-Yantai, Weifang-Laixi and Jinan-Qingdao railways will be given priority in the coming five years. The Penglai-Qixia, Wendeng-Laiyang and Longkou-Qingdao highways are expected to open to traffic within the five year plan.

Promoting advantages

Besides protecting Yantai's environment and developing the ocean economy, the city aims to expand businesses in industries of automobile, high-speed railway, aviation and nuclear sector. All this will help the city to become an important base for advanced manufacturing industry.

Making up disadvantages

Yantai will also ramp up efforts to boost rural development including constructing infrastructures, restoring dangerous buildings and alleviating poverty.