Production in full swing at Qingdao FTZ after Spring Festival

Following the Spring Festival holiday, the Qingdao Area of the China (Shandong) Pilot Free Trade Zone (Qingdao FTZ) has seen a rapid return of activity across its key industrial sectors. This increase in productivity signals a strong economic recovery and renewed momentum for the city's 2026 growth targets.

On the assembly lines of the SAIC-GM-Wuling Qingdao branch, production is at full capacity in preparation for the highly anticipated launch of the fifth-generation Hongguang MINI. In 2025, the facility produced 302,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs), accounting for more than 71 percent of Qingdao's total NEV output.

"Our production lines are fully operational," said Yu Haifeng, operations manager of the SGMW assembly workshop. "With one dedicated NEV line and two fuel-powered lines, we are currently maintaining a daily output of approximately 1,500 units per line."

New energy vehicles roll off the assembly line at the SAIC-GM-Wuling Qingdao branch.[Photo/Bandao News]

The bonded logistics center in the Qingdao West Coast New Area is also experiencing a post-holiday increase. Workers are processing a large influx of cross-border imported goods to meet the demands of China's major e-commerce platforms. In the days following the festival, daily orders have exceeded 10,000, with nearly 300 containers of bonded goods being handled.

The center serves as a critical fulfillment hub for Douyin, Pinduoduo, Xiaohongshu, and Dewu. "During the Spring Festival, our B2B operations reached 80,000 items daily, while B2C shipments averaged 15,000 orders," said Tao Guohua, director of the bonded logistics center.

Cross-border e-commerce has become a key driver of foreign trade in the region. The center, which remained operational throughout the holiday to ensure uninterrupted service, successfully handled 5 million bonded packages in 2025.