Qingdao---Travel In China

Qingdao (Traditional Chinese: 青島, Simplified Chinese: 青岛, Pinyin: Qingdao, Wade-Giles: Ch'ing-tao) is a port sub-provincial city in the Shandong province of China, located at the southern tip of the Shandong Peninsula, in Jiaozhou Bay, facing the Yellow Sea. The name of the port used to be romanised as Tsingtao.

Qingdao has seven urban districts and five county level cities under its jurisdiction. The total population adds up to 7 million.

The GDP per capita was ¥26961 (ca. US$3260) in 2003, ranked no. 32 among 659 Chinese cities.

History
The city became a German concession in 1897 and a major German naval base in the Far East. It was occupied by Japan in 1914, when Japan declared war on Germany during WWI. The city reverted to Chinese KMT rule in 1922, but was occupied by Japan again during the Second World War in 1938. After WWII, the KMT allowed Qingdao to serve as the headquarters of the Western Pacific Fleet of the US Navy. On June 2, 1949 Qingdao was taken by the Chinese Liberation Army. Today it features a significant number of Chinese military facilities.

Industrial
Qingdao is famous for the Tsingtao Brewery, which was founded in 1903 by German settlers, and produces Tsingtao beer, now the most famous beer in China.
Qingdao is strong in light industry. A large Korean population, partly associated with industry, has sprung up in and around the city.

Tourism

Qingdao is a major Chinese tourist destination due to its seaside setting and excellent weather. The shore is lined with parks, beaches and sculpture, as well as some unique architecture. Qingdao's other attractions include:

Zhanshan Temple

Qingdao, located in the southeast part of Shandong Province, is a beautiful seaside city with clear air and enchanting sea view. This city, bordered by the Yellow Sea on two sides, has the largest bathing beach in Asia and produces the mellow Qingdao Beer. To the east of Qingdao, a short distance across the Yellow Sea, lie Korea and Japan, making the city an important port for international trade.


For thirty three years, up to 1949, Qingdao was a colony of Germany and Japan. Thus, Qingdao has a great deal of European architecture. This foreign architecture -a remnant of the colonial past- now beautifies this seaside city.


The red roofs, green trees, blue sea, and azure sky form a bright and colorful picture of Qingdao. The city is sometimes known as the Switzerland of the Orient.


Surrounded by the sea on three sides, Qingdao attracts many tourists with its charming seascape. Sights like the Eight Passes Villas, Wusi Square, the Zhan Bridge, Mt. Laoshan, No.1 Bathing Beach, Badaguan Scenic Area will help you remember Qingdao. Just walking on the sand and listening to the surf breaking on the beach becomes enjoyable.


May Fourth SquareQingdao offers food with distinctive flavors--especially seafood. So take this chance to enjoy the delicious seafood of Qingdao. Also, Qingdao is the home of the famous Qingdao (Tsingtao) Beer. Have a bottle of pure Qingdao Beer right here in Qingdao!
The Qingdao Municipal Government recognizes the importance of the tourism industry and has further plans to develop tourism in Qingdao. To enhance the tourism industry, Qingdao now sponsors the Qingdao International Beer Festival, the Qingdao International Sea Festival, Beach Culture Festival, the Sea Affection Festival, and the Summer of Qingdao Festival.


In cooperation with the Beijing Olympic Games 2008, Qingdao held the Sailing Competition in the Olympic Games in 2008. This great event brings a great opportunity for this charming city to build its bright future.


Since the first Korean companies began doing business in Qingdao in 1988, Korean people have lived here. Thousands of Korean people now live and work here, which makes Qingdao the city with the most Korea investment enterprises in China. And Qingdao also has the largest Korean population in China. With years of cultural exchange, they have established deep, close friendships and mutual trust with the native Chinese people.