The 2014 China Ocean Economic International Talent and Industry Academy Research Cooperation Conference will be held from October 18 to 19 in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, attended by hundreds of high-level overseas professionals and enterprises, the information office of Qingdao municipal government has announced.

The conference, whose theme is "attracting overseas talent, and promoting the blue economy", has obtained a total intended investment of more than 3.1 billion yuan ($510 million), from the robotics industry, nanometer materials and environmental protection on energy sources.

Letters of intent have been signed for 100 scientific technologies and professional introduction projects.

The conference is attaching greater importance to the blue economy – an economic concept that seeks to transition from a product-based economy to a system-based economy. It has received more than 20 intentions of cooperation covering academic research and pioneering projects in the blue economy, according to Liu Weiguo, deputy director of the city’s municipal human resources and social security bureau.

With a history of four years, the conference has created more than 2,000 overseas job opportunities, attracted 459 high-level overseas professionals and signed 374 programs. It is conducive to attracting overseas experts and upgrading industries in Qingdao.