Qingdao is now home to 463 headquarters enterprises, including 20 regional headquarters of Fortune Global 500 companies. [Photo/WeChan account: opinionline]

"Shandong is a major province when it comes to energy resources, and Qingdao has a well-established energy industry foundation," said Sun Weilin, co-founder of NewLink Company, which is located in Laoshan district, Qingdao, Shandong.

As a major headquarters enterprise in platform economics, NewLink mainly provides one-stop services related to supply chains, franchise operations, brand upgrading, marketing, and customer expansion for gas stations, charging stations, and more. Since relocating its headquarters from Beijing to Qingdao in 2018, it has experienced significant development. With over 300 million registered users and an annual transaction volume exceeding 100 billion yuan ($13.78 billion), the company has contributed to the development of the energy industry and the green and low-carbon transformation in Qingdao and even Shandong as a whole.

"In addition to the industrial foundation, Qingdao has advantages in various aspects such as geographical location, business environment, and application scenarios," said Sun.

"Especially in the digital economy sectors like artificial intelligence, new energy vehicles and charging services, and industrial internet, the city has generated new growth momentum, aligning with the direction of enterprise development. By establishing our headquarters here, we can create a 'win-win' development path for both parties," Sun added.

As a major national industrial base and port city, Qingdao boasts numerous advantageous industries and well-known brands. The influence of these industries and brands provides a significant part of what makes Qingdao so attractive to headquarters enterprises. The local area is also accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system led by innovation, with emerging industries growing rapidly and providing a continuous source of momentum for the development of the headquarters economy.

Qingdao is home to high-level open platforms such the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area, also known as SCODA, and the Qingdao Free Trade Zone. The city is actively promoting institutionalized open innovation, aligning with international standards, and creating a favorable business environment for headquarters enterprises.

According to incomplete statistics, Qingdao has already attracted 463 headquarters enterprises, including 20 regional headquarters of Fortune Global 500 companies, as well as 115 regional headquarters and functional headquarters of central enterprises and domestic top 500 companies.