Qingdao 青岛
—  Sub-provincial city  —
青岛市
Clockwise from top left: A Stone building in Ba Da Guan, A house in the old section of Qingdao, Qingdao TV Tower, Qingdao skyline and Zhan Qiao Pier, 4 May Square
Seal
Location of Qingdao City (yellow) in Shandong province
Qingdao Location in China
Coordinates: 36°04′N 120°23′E / 36.067°N 120.383°E / 36.067; 120.383Coordinates: 36°04′N 120°23′E / 36.067°N 120.383°E / 36.067; 120.383
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Shandong
City seat	Shinan District
Government
• CPC Secretary	Li Qun (李群)
• Mayor	Zhang Xinqi (张新起)
Area
• Sub-provincial city	11,026 km2 (4,257 sq mi)
• Land	11,026 km2 (4,257 sq mi)
• Urban	1,411 km2 (545 sq mi)
• Metro	3,138 km2 (1,212 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Sub-provincial city	8,715,100
• Density	790/km2 (2,000/sq mi)
• Urban	3,718,800
• Urban density	2,600/km2 (6,800/sq mi)
• Metro	4,346,000
• Metro density	1,400/km2 (3,600/sq mi)
Time zone	China Standard (UTC+8)
Postal code	266000
Area code(s)	532
GDP	RMB¥ 661.5 billion (2011)
GDP per capita	RMB¥ 65,827 (2010)
License Plate Prefix	鲁B & 鲁U
Coastline	862.64 km (inclusive of offshore islands) 730.64 km (exclusive of islands)
Major Nationalities	Han: 99.86%
County-level divisions	12
Website	www.qingdao.gov.cn

 Qingdao (help·info) (Chinese: 青岛; pinyin: Qīngdǎo; Mandarin pronunciation: [tɕʰíŋtɑ̀ʊ̯]; German: Tsingtau) also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao,^[1] is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million (2010 census) in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.

It borders Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west and Rizhao to the southwest. The character 青 (qīng) in Chinese means "green" or "lush", while the character 岛 (dǎo) means "island". Qingdao is administered at the sub-provincial level.

Lying across the Shandong Peninsula while looking out to the Yellow Sea, Qingdao is a major seaport, naval base, and industrial centre. It is also the site of the Tsingtao Brewery. The world's longest sea bridge, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge, links the main urban area of Qingdao with Huangdao district, straddling the Jiaozhou Bay sea areas.^[2] In 2009, Qingdao was named China's most livable city.^[3]

Other names[link]

• Jiāo'ào (胶澳): former name during Qing Dynasty.
• Qindao (琴岛, lit. "Stringed Instrument Isle"): additional modern name for the area, refers according to locals to the shape of the coastline.
• Tsingtau: German name during concession period, written in German romanization of Chinese, known as Lessing-Othmer
• Tsingtao: western postal name.

History[link]

Ancient times[link]

Human settlement in the area dates back 6,000 years. The Dongyi nationality, one of the important origins of the Chinese nation, lived here and created the Dawenkou, Longshan and Dongyeshi cultures. In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770BC~256BC), the town of Jimo was established, which was then the second largest one in the Shandong region. The area in which Qingdao is located today was named Jiao'ao (胶澳) when it was administered by the Qing Dynasty on 14 June 1891.

German colonial period and Japanese occupation[link]

Main gate of Chinese munitions depot, taken over by imperial navy, 1898

Administration/commercial building, harbor area, 1912

In 1891 the Qing government decided to make the area a defense base against naval attack and began to improve Qingdao's existing fortifications. German naval officials observed and reported on this Chinese activity during a formal survey of Jiaozhou Bay in May 1897. Subsequently, German troops seized and occupied the fortification.^[4] China conceded the area to Germany the following year, and the Kiautschou Bay concession, as it became known, existed from 1898 to 1914. With an area of 552 square kilometres (136,000 acres; 213 sq mi), it was located in the imperial province of Shandong (alternately romanized as Shantung or Shan-tung) on the southern coast of the Shandong Peninsula in northern China. Jiaozhou was romanized as Kiaochow, Kiauchau or Kiao-Chau in English and Kiautschou in German. Qingdao was its administrative center. "The so-called Marktstrasse (Market street) was nothing more than the old main street of the Chinese village of Tsingtao, and the buildings lining it were the former homes of fishermen and farmers. Having sold their property, they resettled their homes and fields in the villages further east."^[5] Upon gaining control of the area, the Germans outfitted the impoverished fishing village of "Tsingtao" (Qingdao) with wide streets, solid housing areas, government buildings, electrification throughout, a sewer system and a safe drinking water supply, a rarity in large parts of Asia at that time and later.^[6] The area had the highest school density and the highest per capita student enrollment in all of China, with primary, secondary and vocational schools funded by the Imperial German treasury and Protestant and Roman Catholic missions.^[6] Commercial interests established the Germania Brewery in 1903, which later became the world-famous Tsingtao Brewery. German influence extended to other areas of Shandong Province, including the establishment of diverse commercial enterprises.

Identified by the German authorities as a strategically important port, Qingdao was administered by the Imperial Department of the Navy (Reichsmarineamt) rather than the Imperial Colonial Office (Reichskolonialamt). The navy based their Far East Squadron there, allowing the ships to conduct operations throughout the Pacific. Beginning January 1898 the marines of III. Seebatallion were based at Tsingtao.

Before the outbreak of World War I the ships of the German naval forces under Admiral Count von Spee were located at central Pacific colonies on routine missions. The fleet then rendezvoused in the Marianas to plan a transit to Germany rather than be trapped in the Pacific by Allied fleets.^[7]

After a minor British naval attack on the German colony in 1914, Japan occupied the city and the surrounding province during the Siege of Tsingtao after Japan's declaration of war on Germany in accordance with the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. The failure of the Allied powers to restore Chinese rule to Shandong after the war triggered the May Fourth Movement.

Map of Qingdao in 1912

The city reverted to Chinese rule in December, 1922, under control of the Republic of China. The city became a direct-controlled municipality of the ROC Government in 1929. Japan re-occupied Qingdao in 1938 with its plans of territorial expansion onto China's coast.

Post–World War II[link]

After World War II the KMT allowed Qingdao to serve as the headquarters of the Western Pacific Fleet of the US Navy in 1945. On 2 June 1949 the CCP-led Red Army entered Qingdao and the city and province have been under PRC control since that time.

Since the 1984 inauguration of China's open-door policy to foreign trade and investment, western Qingdao developed quickly as a port city. It is now the headquarters of the Chinese navy's northern fleet. An early example of the open-door policy occurred on 5 November 1984, when three United States Naval vessels visited Qingdao. This was the first US port call in more than 37 years to China. USS Rentz, USS Reeves and USS Oldendorf and their crews were officially hosted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

Northern Qingdao, particularly Shibei and Chengyang districts, is now a manufacturing center. The city has recently experienced a strong growth period, with a new central business district created to the east of the older business district. Outside of the center of the city there is a large industrial zone, which includes chemical processing, rubber and heavy manufacturing, in addition to a growing high-tech area. Numerous local and national service companies, rather than manufacturers, are based in the city's southern district; this, as well as local wind patterns, allows Qingdao to enjoy clean, clear air year round.

Administrative divisions[link]

The sub-provincial city of Qingdao has direct jurisdiction over 7 districts (区 qu) and 5 county-level cities (市 shi):

	Subdivision		Population	Land area	Post Code	Admin. Area Code*
			as of 2007	km²
	Qingdao City Proper
	■ Shinan-qu	市南区 / 市南區	430,000	30.01	266000	370202
	■ Shibei-qu	市北区 / 市北區	470,000	28.63	266000	370203
	■ Sifang-qu	四方区 / 四方區	360,000	34.55	266000	370205
	■ Licang-qu	李沧区 / 李滄區	280,000	95.52	266000	370213
	Qingdao Suburban and Rural
	■ Laoshan-qu	崂山区 / 嶗山區	190,000	389.34	266100	370212
	■ Chengyang-qu	城阳区 / 城陽區	430,000	553.2	266000	370214
	■ Huangdao-qu	黄岛区 / 黃島區	260,000	274.1	266000	370211
	■ Jiaozhou-shi	胶州市 / 膠州市	750,000	1210	266300	370281
	■ Jiaonan-shi	胶南市 / 膠南市	840,000	1846	266400	370284
	■ Jimo-shi	即墨市 / 即墨市	1,070,000	1727	266200	370282
	■ Pingdu-shi	平度市 / 平度市	1,330,000	3166	266700	370283
	■ Laixi-shi	莱西市 / 萊西市	720,000	1522	266600	370285

^*These codes are also being used by ID cards.

Geographically, Shinan is viewed as the old downtown, located in the south of Qingdao city proper, while Sifang and Shibei are located in the center of the city with Shibei designated as the new downtown, and Licang located further up the peninsula in the outskirts of the city. In 2003, the percentage of Qingdao's population in these four districts was 21.0 percent, 20.8 percent, 16.8 percent, and 12.5 percent, respectively.^[8]

Geography and climate[link]

Qingdao is located on the south facing coast of the Shandong Peninsula. It borders three prefecture-level cities, namely Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west, and Rizhao to the southwest. The city's total jurisdiction area occupies 10,654 square kilometres (4,114 sq mi), and stretches in latitude from 35° 35' to 37° 09' N and in longitude from 119° 30' to 121° 00' E. The populated sections of the city are relatively flat while mountains spur up within city limits and nearby. The highest elevation in the city is 1,133 metres (3,717 ft) above sea level. 15.5% of the total area is highland, while the foothill, plain and lowland areas constitute 25.1%, 37.8% and 21.7%. The city has a 730.64 kilometres (454.00 mi) coastline. Five significant rivers that flow for more than 50 kilometres (31 mi) can be found in the region.

Qingdao has a temperate, four-season, monsoon-influenced^[10] climate that falls on the borderline between humid subtropical (Köppen Cwa) and humid continental (Köppen Dwa). Winter is cool to cold and windy, but generally dry, with a January average of −0.5 °C (31.1 °F). Summer is generally hot and humid, but very hot days are rare, with an August average of 25.3 °C (77.5 °F). Due to its proximity to the coast and being on a peninsula, it experiences a one-month delayed spring compared to most inland areas of China.^[10] Conversely, autumn is milder than inland areas in Shandong. The water temperature peaks at about 25 °C (77 °F) in late August, with swimming possible two months on either side. The annual mean temperature is 12.6 °C (54.7 °F).

Demographics[link]

By the end of 2006, Qingdao was estimated to be the home of about 8 million inhabitants, of which around 3 million reside in the Qingdao urban area. Another estimated 5 million live in other cities under Qingdao's jurisdiction. The annual birth rate is calculated around 76,507, with a birth rate of 10.15 per year per thousand, and a death rate of 6.32, both calculated on an annual basis. Living standards are among highest of leading Chinese cities due to the strong export economy and relatively high family wages.

Qingdao is home to 38 Chinese ethnic minorities, which account for 0.14% of the city's total population.

There is a large Korean community in Qingdao. By 2009, there are approximately 100,000 Koreans working, studying and living in Qingdao, which makes Qingdao the second in terms of Korean population in China, following Beijing which has about 200,000 Koreans.^[12]

Economy[link]

Qingdao TV Tower

An important region in Eastern China, Shandong Province has seen substantial change in its economic landscape in recent years. Much of this development has been concentrated in Qingdao.^[13] Qingdao has seen rapid development. With an annual growth rate of 18.9 percent in 2006, the city's GDP reached 42.3 billion, ranking first in Shandong Province and tenth out of China's top 20 cities.^[13] GDP per capita comprised RMB¥52,895 (US$7,616) in 2008. The GDP has grown steadily at an average pace of 16% annually. In 2006, Qingdao was ranked one of six "golden cities" by the World Bank, out of 120 Chinese cities assessed on factors including investment climate and government effectiveness.^[13]

Internationally, Qingdao is perhaps best known for its Tsingtao Brewery, founded by a German-British joint venture in 1903 that produces Tsingtao beer, the most well-known Chinese export beer. It is also home to Haier, a large white goods manufacturer, and Hisense, a major electronics company. In 2002 guitar manufacturer Epiphone opened a factory in Qingdao.^[14]

In 1984 the Chinese government named a district of Qingdao a Special Economic and Technology Development Zone (SETDZ). Along with this district, the entire city had gone through amazing development of secondary and tertiary industries. As an important trading port in the province, Qingdao flourishes with foreign investment and international trade. South Korea and Japan in particular made extensive investment in the city. Approximately 80,000 South Korean citizens reside there. Construction proceeds at a relatively fast pace in Qingdao.

In terms of primary industry, Qingdao has an estimated 50,000 acres (200 km²) of arable land. Qingdao has a zigzagging pattern coastline, and thus possesses an invaluable stock of fish, shrimp, and other sea resources.

Qingdao is also home to a variety of mineral resources. Up to thirty different kinds have been mined. Qingdao's wind power electricity generation performs at among the best levels in the region.^{[citation needed]} The city has also a number of paper mills. One plant is called Qingdao Bei Fa paper mill. Mill's machine is Karlstads Mekaniska Werkstad (KMW)-made (width 3048 mm) and it was acquired from Kajaani paper mill in Finland in the middle of the 1980s.

Industrial zones[link]

• Qingdao Economic & Technological Development Area

Approved by the State Council in October 1984, Qingdao Economic and Technical Development Zone has a planned of 12.5 square kilometers. In 2004 the local GDP is 27.51 billion RMB, increased by 28.9%; the total industrial output value is 60.6 billion RMB, increased by 31%. There have been 48 projects invested by companies listed among the Global Fortune 500 in the zone. With the fast development of reform and opening-up, Haier, Hisense, Aucma, Sinopec, CSIC, CNOOC, CIMC etc. all locate in the zone.^[15]

• Qingdao Free Trade Zone

Qingdao Free Trade Zone was established by the State Council in 1992. The zone is 60 km away from Qingdao Liuting Airport. It is also close to Qingdao Qianwan Harbor. At present, more than 40 foreign-invested enterprises have moved in and 2000 projects have been approved. It is one of the special economic areas which enjoys the most favorable investment policies on customs, foreign exchange, foreign trade and taxation in China.^[16]

• Qingdao High-tech Industrial Zone

Qingdao High-Tech Industrial Development Zone was approved the State Council in 1992. The zone is located close to Qingdao Liuting Airport and Qingdao Harbor. Encouraged industries include electronic information, biotechnology, medicine, new materials, new energy, advanced equipment manufacturing, marine science & technology, national defense technology.^[17]

Transport[link]

Road[link]

The lengths of highways on operation are 14,326 km, including 700 km Expressways. At the present, the traffic mileage is more than 6.02 billion km per year.^{[citation needed]} There are a total of 1,145 km of roads in the Qingdao area, with nearly 500 km of expressways. Expressways connect Qingdao with Jinan.

Marine[link]

The Orient Ferry connects Qingdao with Shimonoseki, Japan. There are two ferry lines connecting Qingdao with South Korea. The New Golden Bridge II operates between Qingdao and Incheon, and the Blue Sea Ferry operates between Qingdao and Gunsan.^[18]

Qingdao hosts one of China's largest seaports. Cooperative relations have been established with 450 ports in 130 countries worldwide. The 1999 annual cargo handling capacity was 72 million tons. Exported commodities amounted to more than 35 million tons and 1.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) of cargo.^{[citation needed]}

Aviation[link]

The Qingdao Liuting International Airport, 65 kilometres away from city centre, is served by 13 domestic and international airlines, operating 94 routes, 12 of which are international and regional. It is estimated that in 2007 that 7.868 million people, including 1,082,000 international travelers, were transported through the airport.

Intercity rail[link]

Qingdao railway station

Qingdao's railway development was picked up during the late 1990s. It is at the beginning of the Jiaoji Railway. Qingdao's city proper has some major railway stations, Qingdao Station, Sifang Station^[19]， Cangkou Station, Great-Seaport Station, etc. At the present, domestic rail lines connect Qingdao with cities including Beijing, Lanzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Jinan and Jining.

Public transport[link]

Qingdao's public traffic owns about 4,500 large and medium-sized fangpi buses, CNG buses and trolleybuses, operating more than 200 routes.^{[citation needed]} All of these buses and trolleybuses can be accessed using the Qingdao Public Traffic IC Card (Ri-Xin Card 日新卡), which uses radio frequencies so the card does not have to physically touch the scanner. The volume of road passenger transport approaches 0.8 billion per year.^{[citation needed]} The Public Transport Brand of 'Ri-Xin Bus (日新巴士)' is also known in China.

There are a number of taxi companies in Qingdao including Yiqing Company, Zhongqing Company, Jiaoyun Company and, Huaqing Company.

Subway[link]

Qingdao is ready to spend more than 29 billion yuan ($4.2 billion) before 2016 on its subway construction, the government announced on 18 August 2009 after getting the approval from the State Council. The construction of 54.7 km mileage of subway line will be completed before 2016 with a total investment of 29.2 billion yuan ($4.3 billion). The city plans to build eight subway lines in downtown and some suburban districts, which account for 231.5 kilometers in future.^[20]

Military[link]

Qingdao is headquarters of the North Sea Fleet of the People's Liberation Army Navy.

Culture[link]

Architecture[link]

Qingdao retains many buildings with a German architectural style

The unique combination of German and Chinese architecture in the city centre, combined with German demographic roots and a large Korean expatriate population, gives Qingdao a distinct atmosphere. A larger number of areas in former foreign styles are well preserved. Although the new city area is under large-scale reconstruction, the old city area (especially Taixi) still retains some traditional buildings.

St. Michael's Cathedral

Skyscrapers in Qingdao

Celebrities[link]

• Kang Youwei (康有为)
• Wen Yiduo (闻一多)
• Laoshe (舒庆春，字老舍)
• Shen Congwen (沈从文)
• Xiao Hong (萧红)
• Xiao Jun (萧军)
• Liang Shiqiu (梁实秋)
• Duanmu Hongliang (端木蕻良)
• Zang Kejia (臧克家)
• Sun Li^{[disambiguation needed ]} (孙犁)
• Tong Dizhou (童第周)
• Li Zhaoxing (李肇星)
• Victoria Song (宋茜)
• Huang Zitao (黃子韜, EXO M)

Other notable people include:

• Qiu Chuji (丘处机)
• Gao Fenghan (高凤翰)
• Mifune Toshiro (was born in Qingdao)
• Li Cunxin (李存信)
• Erin Pizzey
• Huang Xiaoming (黃曉明)
• Chen Hao (陈好)
• Xia Yu (夏雨)
• Fan Bingbing(范冰冰)
• Wang Dong (Chinese Footballer)

Language[link]

A local accent known as Qingdao dialect (青岛话, pinyin qingdao hua) distinguishes the residents of the city from those of the surrounding Shandong province. Due to the efforts by the city government to promote standard Mandarin, most educated people can speak that language in addition to their native language. With reform policies and English teaching, some young citizens have been taught English and many can converse with foreigners. Business and traffic signs in English are becoming more and more common.

Cuisine[link]

Seafood is a typical delicacy of the coastal city, divided into two categories: "Great Seafood" including sea cucumbers, abalones, shark's fin, prawns, crabs, conch, and some big fish, and "Little Seafood" comprising squid, shrimps, octopus, oysters, razor clams, clams, periwinkles, yellow croakers, etc. Generally, fresh seafood is served in every hotel.

The distinctive cuisine of the area is Lu Cai, the Shandong regional style.

Festivals[link]

Festival in Qingdao in 1913

• Qingdao International Beer Festival（青岛国际啤酒节） in August/September, held annually since 1991
• China International Afforestation Fair, since 2003
• APEC SMEs Technology Conference and Fair
• China Qingdao Fishing Competition（中国青岛钓鱼比赛）
• Qingdao Bar-Culture Festival（中国内衣节）
• China International Exposition of electronic home appliances （中国电子产品博览会）
• China Qingdao Ocean Festival （中国青岛海洋节）
• China International Maritime Exhibition （中国国际海事展）
• Qingdao International Fashion Week （青岛国际时装周）
• China International Fishery Fair
• China Qingdao International Hot Air Balloon Festival
• Qingdao International Beach Festival （青岛国际海滩节日）

Tourism[link]

Qingdao attracts many tourists due to its seaside setting and temperate weather. Parks, beaches, sculpture and unique German and modern architecture line the shore. For more information head over to the Qingdao Information Centre for International Visitors located on Mid-Hong Kong Road (Xianggang Zhong Lu).

Qingdao's major attractions include:

Historical Euro-Asia Area[link]

Hua Shi Lou in the Eight Great Passes

Former site of the headquarters of the German Administration

The Protestant Church (基督教堂)

The pier on the seafront

• Zhan Qiao (Pier, 栈桥)
• Little Qingdao Isle (小青岛)
• Tian Hou Temple (天后宫), Qingdao Folk Museum
• Ba Da Guan (Eight Great Passes, 八大关), the older area of town with some surviving German and Japanese architecture.
• Lu Xun Park, named after Lu Xun (鲁迅), a famous modern Chinese writer and critic, who lived and taught in 1930s.
• Zhongshan Park, named after the style name 'Zhongshan' of Sun Yat-sen (孙文，字中山), a famous modern Chinese politician.
• Xiao Yu Shan (Little Fish Hill, 小鱼山)
• Qingdao Botanical Garden
• Qingdao Zoological Garden
• The twin-spired St. Michael's Cathedral (天主教堂), one piece of the famous Neo-romanesque architecture in Qingdao, designed by German architect Alfred Fräbel, completed in 1934.
• Flower-floor (花石楼), the place for previous German governors to fish, hunt or rest.
• Qingdao Underwater World, Qingdao Aquarium
• Jiaozhou Governor's Hall (提督府), office building of former German governors [Gouverneurspalast] and former municipal government
• Guest House, a classic German Castle
• Xinhao Hill (信号山)
• Astronomical Observatory Hill (观象山)
• Tuan Dao Shan|Tuan Dao Shan (Dumpling Peninsula Hill, 团岛山)
• Underground World of Chinese Mythology, life-size figures and groups depicting scenes from the Chinese mythology.
• Qingdao Hill Fort ruins
• Qingdao Naval Museum
• The Protestant Church(基督教堂)
• Qingdao Bathing Beaches, there are 6 well-known beaches with complete facilities.

The Flourishing Eastern Area[link]

• May Fourth Square Coastal plaza with the Wind of May sculpture
• Music Square, famous for the Sail of Music
• Qingdao Seaside Sightseeing Path
• Qingdao International Beer town, the primary site of the annual Qingdao International Beer Festival.
• Tsingtao Brewery, originally founded by Germans and the most exported beer from China.
• Qingdao Sculpture Museum
• Qingdao Etsong Natural Grass Ski Field
• Zhanshan Temple, Qingdao's oldest Buddhist temple.

State-level Mount Lao Scenic Area[link]

• Lao Shan (Mount Lao, 崂山), 40 km east of Qingdao, the most famous Taoist mountain with Taoist retreat - Great Purity Palace (太清宫).
  • Jufeng (Huge Peak, 巨峰)
  • Nine Waters & Eighteen Pools (九水十八潭)
  • Kang Cheng Shuyuan (Kang Cheng Study House, 康成书院)
  • Yangkou (仰口)
  • Yakou (垭口)

Outlying Area[link]

• Qingdao Museum
• Stone Old Man (Shi Laoren, 石老人) Sightseeing Garden
• QD Polar World
• Langya Observation Resort (瑯琊台度假区), located in the previous Qi State, Jiaonan City.
• Great Wall of Qi
• Chanzhi Reservoir, located 10 kilometres to the north of Laixi city, on the middle and upperreaches of the Dagu River.
• Sanlihe Garden, Jiaozhou City
• Jiaozhou Governor's Hall, former seat of the present and previous two governments.

Education[link]

Post-secondary educational institutions[link]

• Ocean University of China (formerly Ocean University of Qingdao), the primary university of the specialty in China
• Petroleum University of China, Qingdao campus
• Qingdao University
• Qingdao University of Science and Technology
• Qingdao Technological University
• Shandong University of Economics and Trade
• Qingdao Hotel and Management College
• Qingdao Agricultural University
• Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao campus

International schools[link]

• Korean International School of Qingdao
• International School of Qingdao (mti)
• Qingdao Amerasia International School
• Qingdao No.1 International School
• Qingdao Oxford International College
• Yew Chung International School of Qingdao

Sports[link]

Qingdao has long been a hub of professional sports in The People's Republic of China.

Stadiums[link]

• Qingdao second stadium
• Qingdao Hongcheng stadium
• Qingdao Tiantai stadium
• Qingdao Chengyang sports training base
• Qingdao Jiaonan Paper zoned rowing base

Olympic Games[link]

Along with Beijing's hosting of the 2008 Summer Olympics, Qingdao was the host city for the Olympic Sailing competitions which took place along the shoreline by the city. These events were hosted at the Qingdao International Sailing Centre and held in Fushan Bay, near the city's central business district. A hotel and an international broadcasting centre were built.

Football[link]

Qingdao Jonoon Football Club (former name of Qingdao hainiu Football Club) was founded in 1993. They joined the first Chinese professional football as a second-class league club in 1994. They got the champion in their first season and were promoted to the top league (the first two could be promoted). In 1995, they finished as 11th (total 12 teams, last two would be relegated) and was relegated from the top league. In the next year, they got the runner-up in the second-class league and came back to the top league. Till now, they have been playing in the top league for 12 successive seasons.

Motorsport[link]