On February 12, during the Lantern Festival, the Jinan Korean Chamber of Commerce organized a delegation of 11 representatives from South Korean companies in the semiconductor, equipment manufacturing, and international trade sectors to visit the Jinan Area of the Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) for cooperation discussions. Li Tao, a member of the Party Working Committee and Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of Jinan High-tech Zone, met with the delegation, accompanied by relevant officials from the Jinan FTZ and Jinan High-tech Zone.

The delegation visited key sites, including the Air Economic Zone Exhibition Hall, Qinghe Electronic Technology (Shandong) Co., Ltd., the National Cultural Export Base Exhibition Center, Jinan Jingzheng Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., and the Shanneng International Trade Industrial Park. They gained detailed insights into the area’s international cooperation in advanced manufacturing, the development of cultural export channels at the National Cultural Export Base, and innovations in international trade platforms. The South Korean business representatives highly praised the achievements of the Jinan FTZ, recognizing its significant advantages in business environment, policy innovation, industrial clustering, and international cooperation, which provide ample opportunities for deepening China-South Korea collaboration.

Following the site visits, both sides held an industrial matchmaking and cooperation exchange meeting. Representatives from the Jinan FTZ introduced the delegation to the zone’s institutional innovations, key industries, development of innovation platforms, and ongoing efforts to optimize the business environment. Officials from Jinan High-tech Zone shared insights into its three leading industries—next-generation information technology, equipment manufacturing, and biomedicine—as well as international industrial cooperation initiatives. Representatives from South Korean companies such as BB TECH, YOUNGB TECH, and the Gyeonggi-do Industrial Park Association presented their business operations and cooperation needs. The discussions covered areas including advanced manufacturing, modern services, cross-border trade cooperation, green and low-carbon development, and China-South Korea cultural exchanges, resulting in multiple cooperation agreements.

Looking ahead, the Jinan FTZ will implement the city’s “Project Enhancement Year” initiative, leveraging its international open platform advantages, aligning with the strategic upgrade of the free trade zone, and integrating with the overall planning of Jinan High-tech Zone’s “Third Entrepreneurship” development. The zone aims to further expand international exchange channels, deepen industrial cooperation with South Korea and other international partners, enhance collaboration in trade, investment, and culture, and attract more foreign enterprises to invest and establish operations in the area, contributing to Jinan’s open economy development.