The Ministry of Science and Technology has approved the establishment of an innovative national science park in Qingdao's High-tech Industrial Development Zone.

A designers' picture of the innovation science park.

This means the zone will become part of a national macro-layout to develop new technology, and a base for innovative national industries of strategic importance.

The establishment of the zone is expected to advance development of the city's high-tech industry, economic structure, innovative capability and industrial development.

The zone will begin 34 innovative projects in the next five years with the core in northern Jiaozhou Bay as a leading joint development with other parks, the zone management said.

By 2015, it was hoped to include a university high-tech park, a research and development base for the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a research and development base for Lanzhou Institute for Chemical Physics, Qingdao industrial technology innovation and development center, Qingdao industrial technology institute and an international cooperation park.

Tourists at Qingdao's seashore on Dragon Boat Festival. [Photo by Zhou Guanghui]

An incubator federation would be established for 500 startups on a 1-million-square-meter incubation area.

A total of 100 high-caliber professionals and 20 first-class technological teams are expected to be introduced to the zone.

The zone will establish bases for six innovative industries of strategic importance including marine instruments and meters, display technology, optical equipment, marine medicine and biological material, new energy equipment and modern service.

Three clusters of leading industries including transporting equipment, digital home appliances and information communication would also be established.

It is expected to become a top national science and technology park by 2015。