Qingdao

Qingdao was an important fortress, and is a major seaport and naval base, as well as a commercial and financial center. It is a major nodal city of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that connects Continental and East Asia with Europe.

Administered at the sub-provincial level, Qingdao has jurisdiction over seven districts and three county-level cities (Jiaozhou, Pingdu, Laixi). As of the 2020 census, Qingdao built-up (or metro) area made of the seven urban districts (Shinan, Shibei, Huangdao, Laoshan, Licang, Chengyang and Jimo) was home to 7,172,451 inhabitants, making it the 15th largest city in China by population. It has the highest GDP of any city in the province.

In 1897, the city was ceded to Germany. For the Germans, Qingdao was a strategic trade center, port and base for its East Asia Squadron, allowing the German navy to project dominance in the Pacific.