Recently, China (Shandong) Pilot Free Trade Zone Qingdao Area (SDPFTZ Qingdao Area), addressing the practical needs of foreign trade enterprises under new circumstances, introduced nine key measures to support their innovative development. These measures span multiple dimensions, including "promoting trade growth, assisting businesses in expanding domestic and international markets, stabilizing employment and creating jobs, and building an integrated service system." The initiative aims to drive steady growth and quality improvement in foreign trade, injecting a strong stimulus into the sustainable development of foreign trade enterprises, particularly exporters.

Promoting Trade Growth

SDPFTZ Qingdao Area, leveraging its digital warehouse public service platform, is actively establishing a "port warehouse–overseas warehouse" system, opening new channels for domestic exporters and enhancing their competitiveness in global trade. By innovating international warehousing solutions, SDPFTZ Qingdao Area enables businesses to manage inventory more flexibly, reduce logistics costs, and improve trade efficiency.

Supporting International and Domestic Market Expansion

SDPFTZ Qingdao Area encourages enterprises to participate in international exhibitions and secure export credit insurance, safeguarding their efforts to explore emerging international markets. It has also established a special fund to support export-oriented manufacturing, facilitating technological upgrades. Additionally, its risk compensation fund pool and loan assistance program have expanded credit availability, providing robust financial backing. Furthermore, streamlined exit-entry services for business travelers have enhanced international business expansion.

Stabilizing Employment and Creating Jobs

Industrial enterprises in foreign trade that maintain stable employment will receive social insurance subsidies. Those with significant scale and import-export volumes will qualify for hiring expansion subsidies. These measures help businesses stabilize production, scale up operations, and generate more job opportunities.

Building an Integrated Service System

SDPFTZ Qingdao Area offers 24-hour support through its 360° Talent-Enterprise Integrated Service Platform, providing guidance for tailored solutions under the principle of "one enterprise, one policy." It helps businesses flexibly leverage comprehensive bonded zone policies for warehousing, offshore trade, and emerging international market expansion. This one-stop service system ensures prompt responses to corporate needs, delivering customized solutions for enterprises to help them navigate challenges effectively.

In 2024, SDPFTZ Qingdao Area achieved exports worth RMB 64.72 billion, marking a 26.7% increase, with exports to RCEP members rising by 24.6% and those to emerging markets growing by 19.2%. The newly introduced nine measures to boost foreign trade not only address immediate challenges for exporters but also focus on cultivating long-term competitiveness. Moving forward, SDPFTZ Qingdao Area will prioritize emerging markets, stabilize trade performance, and offer valuable insights for China's broader efforts to "boost foreign trade and sustain growth" amid evolving conditions.