"Opening up" became a hot topic of the Shandong provincial government work report for 2015 at two sessions in Jinan on Jan 24-29.

Deputies to the fifth session of the 12th Shandong Provincial People's Congress shared their insights on opening-up.

Wang Detao, one of the deputies, noted that Yantai should attract more international companies and that opening-up will boost Yantai's innovation and development.

Yantai, one of the first 14 coastal cities in China approved to open up, enjoys unrivalled advantages in going global. "Yantai should deepen cooperation with Japan and South Korea, learn and introduce advanced manufacturing technologies from US and German companies like Siemens, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW to build Yantai into a peninsula high-end manufacturing base," Wang said, adding that Yantai should strengthen the advantages of connections with foreign economies by focusing on technology, brand, quality and service, accelerating structural transformation for export products, increasing imports of technology, energy resources, core equipment and key components, and promoting the growth of cross-border commerce.

Another deputy, Chen Lei, stressed the importance of economy and culture in regional development. Shandong plays a strategically vital role on the Maritime Silk Road and Yantai is a key city along that route. China's promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative will bring great opportunities to Yantai's economic development. Culture is one of the driving forces for economic growth. Shandong culture, featuring tolerance, self-improvement, honesty and harmony, will play a key role in ensuring that Yantai and Shandong keep pace with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Chen suggested that Shandong should enhance cooperation with countries along the Silk Road in areas such as tourism, education, technology and culture. Chen said Shandong can work fully with civil organizations such as chambers of commerce to improve the cooperative system.

The China-South Korea Industrial Park's settlement in Yantai provides a golden opportunity to access the global stage. In addition, Yantai has established business ties with all the 64 countries along the Silk Road, and invested in 112 projects worth $478 million in 26 countries.

"The most important task for Yantai is to focus on construction of the industrial park and investment attraction," said Wang Detao, while Chen believed Yantai should stimulate the potential of industrial parks to transform into hot spots for foreign investment.