Covering 3,176 square kilometers, Pingdu is the largest county-level city in Shandong province. [Photo/WeChat account: pingduwenlvv]

Covering one-third of Qingdao's total land area, Pingdu is the largest county-level city in Shandong province, with a registered population of over 1.33 million. As the site of the ancient capital of Jimo, it is a central part of Jiaodong culture.

Strategically situated between the Qingdao and Jinan metropolitan areas, Pingdu boasts excellent transport connectivity, with four railways, five expressways, and eight national and provincial trunk roads. The city is a 30-minute drive from Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport, one hour from Jinan, and three hours from Beijing, offering strong market reach.

Pingdu has a robust industrial base, encompassing 32 of 41 major industrial categories and nearly 40,000 enterprises. It has developed a modern industrial system led by advanced manufacturing, with clusters in food and beverages (such as Tsingtao Beer), smart home appliances (Hisense), high-end chemicals, and high-end equipment. Pingdu also produces 70 percent of the world's eyelash products and 70 percent of China's premium seasonings, and has a grass weaving industry valued at 7 billion yuan ($1.03 billion).

In 2025, Pingdu's GDP reached 101.06 billion yuan, a 6 percent year-on-year increase. The service sector grew by 7.6 percent to 49.66 billion yuan, driving economic transformation. The city continues to strengthen its position with key industrial zones, including the Jiaodong International Airport Economic Zone, the Xinhe Chemical Base — which has been named one of China's top 10 most promising chemical parks for 10 consecutive years — and an economic development zone with over 2,900 enterprises.