The Demonstration Base for Chemical and Rubber for Industrial Production, Education and Research opened on March 20 in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province.

Established collaboratively by the China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA), the People's Government of Qingdao Sifang District, Qingdao University of Science and Technology and MESNAC Co Ltd, the base is defined as a high-tech industry zone.

Some of the phase-I projects have been under construction for one year and are near the completion stage. The International Trade Center, the Business Incubator, Talents Cultivation Center have already opened.

Several branch companies have been set up in the base, such as the Intellectual Property Rights Information Center, Culture and Communication Company, Productive Force Promotion Center.

Officials in the zone have signed cooperation contracts with many corporations and institutions from at home and abroad, including the China Venture Capital Research Institute, Qingdao Free Trade Port Area, Sri Trang Group of Thailand, LANXESS from Germany, and the world's rubber city Akron in the United States.

Cooperation of the local government, institutes of higher education and research, enterprises along with agencies have been involved in the Shandong Peninsular Blue Economy Development Plan, which is recognized as the pilot base for national patents commercialization.

By Huang Yaning (China Daily Qingdao Bureau)

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Tom McGregor