Qingdao a hot spot for foreigners
Natural environment and fast-growing economy make city an attractive destination
Long favored by travelers for its beautiful coastline and undulating mountain views,
Qingdao, aneconomic hub and resort destination in East China's Shandong
province, has become anincreasingly hot spot for foreign experts to live and work.
It was ranked as the fifth most attractive Chinese city by international professionals
in a recentsurvey named 2014 Amazing China - The Most Attractive Chinese Cities
for Foreigners.
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Qingdao's stunning cityscapes, natural scenery and outdoor attractions (above and
below)make it a growing favorite with international professionals. Photos provided to China Daily
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The survey was jointly held by the China Association for International Exchange of
Personnel andthe Beijing magazine International Talent Monthly. Beginning from
July 2014, 77,000 ballots werecollected from foreign experts and tourists in China.
The city's living environment is the primary reason that foreign experts come to live
in Qingdao,which includes excellent city planning, friendly residents, a natural
environment and goodeducation for foreign children, said Chen Huabei, director of
the information center of the StateAdministration of Foreign Experts Affairs.
"In addition, its fast-growing economy also presents great career opportunities for
expats andbusiness opportunities for investors," Chen said.
Eric Blocher, director of communication at the Qingdao Amerasia International
School, said thecity has charmed the world for the past century and is blessed with
a favorable naturalenvironment. Its beautiful beaches, sailing events and a wide
range of other water sports, plus anincreasing number of skyscrapers, a garden-like city vista, great seafood and internationalcuisine all add to its charm.
"People here are proud of their heritage but welcoming to outsiders. Local people
love to sharetheir Tsingtao beer with visitors. The city is growing and changing
every moment, with newamenities and infrastructure, but it still manages to feel
rather calm and settled."
Professor Wolfgang Kubin, chairman of the German language and literature
department atOcean University of China, who won the 2013 Johann Heinrich
Voss Award for Translation, thehighest honor for translators in Germany, said he
fell in love with the city when he discoveredBadaguan, a picturesque health
resort featuring well-preserved historic villas and floral scenerythroughout the year.
"The city's German heritage leaves it a remarkable bonanza of century-old
European architecturewhere I can find the historic and cultural connections
between my hometown and China, andthat's why I chose Qingdao to work
and stay," he said.
Clean air is also essential when foreigners consider staying. With no heavy
industries in thedowntown area, Qingdao's residents saw 262 days of blue
sky last year.
"Modern facilities and internationalized services have made life much easier
for foreigners and itdoesn't feel like being in a country that is thousands of
miles away," Kubin said.
The city has nine five-star and 30 four-star hotels, 12 international schools,
28 foreign financialinstitutions, and a number of international supermarkets
and convenience stores. Many hospitalsoffer English, Korean and Japanese
language services and the first foreign-invested hospital,United Family, which
accepts foreign healthcare insurance, recently opened in the city.
Alan Yau, general manager of Crown Plaza Qingdao, who is originally from
Hong Kong, said thecity has great resources to attract resort and business
travelers and foreign experts, and heexpects business to improve even more
when the subway opens by the end of the year.
In 2014, 2,688 foreign experts were recruited for positions in Qingdao, taking
the number ofcertified foreign experts in the city to 12,000.
As the city plays an increasing role in implementing China's Belt andRoad
Initiative - to boost trade and cooperation across a vast regionspanning
Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and East Asia,Qingdao faces
immense investment and development opportunitiesfor people from around
the world.
The marine economy and modern service sectors feature in the city'snew
era of growth. While upgrading its dominant industries, such asmachinery,
rail equipment and shipbuilding, Qingdao also aspires totransform itself
with fast-growing sectors including finance, headoffices, technology, culture
and exhibition.
In October, the 2014 China Ocean Economic International Talent andIndustry
Academy Research Cooperation Conference in Qingdaosigned 78 major
contracts and 540 letters of intent among a largenumber of businesses,
research and development institutions andbusiness incubators. Letters of
intent were also signed for 20 professionals to settle in Qingdaothrough the
"Recruitment Program of Global Experts" (1,000 Talents Plan).
To attract more foreign professionals, the city has reached beyond its borders
and set up 11recruiting stations in areas with a concentration of universities
and research institutions incountries including the United States, Britain and
Germany.
At home, Qingdao has streamlined procedures for foreign professionals to
obtain legaldocuments to live and work in the city and 32 high-level foreign
experts were granted long-termworking visas ranging from three to five years
in 2014.
The Qingdao Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs approved 42 talent
recruiting projectswith 8.51 million yuan ($1.37 million) funding in 2014.
