In 2025, Jiaozhou's GDP reached 179.58 billion yuan ($26.5 billion), a year-on-year increase of 5.1 percent. Industrial output of the county-level city, for enterprises above a designated size, grew by 6.1 percent, and total retail sales of consumer goods rose 2.4 percent.

Jiaozhou encompasses 31 of the 41 major industrial categories, including core manufacturing processes for home appliances. In 2025, the total output value of industrial enterprises above a designated size exceeded 170 billion yuan. Jiaozhou is also the only county-level city in China that has three national-level characteristic industrial clusters for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Last year, the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area in Jiaozhou, known as SCODA, accelerated comprehensive reforms with support policies issued at both provincial and municipal levels. The area's cross-border settlement platform handled over 1.6 billion yuan in transactions. Trade with SCO member states grew by 9.2 percent, exceeding 13 billion yuan.

The Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport handled 26.89 million passengers and 227,000 metric tons of cargo last year. Seven freight projects, including logistics warehousing facilities, were part of national intermodal hub upgrade projects. China-Europe freight train departures increased by 20.5 percent to 1,225, with the launch of four new TIR routes, including dedicated lines to Russia. TIR shipment volume led the nation.

Last year, Jiaozhou accelerated its industrial transformation under a "one town, one industry" model. More than 140 major projects, each exceeding 100 million yuan, were signed. Modern services grew significantly, with producer services accounting for over 56 percent of the tertiary sector. A digital economy industrial park was recognized by the province as a high-quality development project.

Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport handles 26.89 million passengers in 2025, strengthening its role as a key aviation hub in northern China. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]