The 15th Five-Year Plan Outline mandates the continuous advancement of the business environment, aiming to forge a world-class ecosystem defined by market principles, the rule of law, and international standards. This is no mere paper vision; it is the litmus test for the fundamental character of every city.

On June 15, the 7th Qingdao Multinationals Summit convened right on schedule. Over the past seven years, leaders from multinational corporations across more than 80 countries and regions have repeatedly converged on this very city.

Behind this choice lies a fundamental shift in logic: a transition from mere “Doing Business” to truly “Winning Business.” A premium business environment is no longer defined by unilateral concessions or preferential subsidies; it is a symbiotic relationship where the city and its enterprises achieve mutual success. Over the past seven years, Qingdao has proven a definitive truth: a superior business environment is, in itself, the most powerful form of investment promotion.

Almatis is a familiar presence at the Qingdao Summit. Having been rooted in the city for 28 years, the company has expanded its operations four times. Its Phase IV project is slated to commence trial production by year-end, marking its evolution from traditional refractories into high-end sectors such as semiconductors and new energy.

“The Qingdao Multinationals Summit​is a pragmatic, high‑efficiency platform for international economic and trade exchange,” said Charles Copson, Chief Commercial Officer of Almatis. “It fully reflects Qingdao’s openness, dynamism and sound enabling business environment, bringing transnational firms rare and valuable opportunities for cooperation.”

Added Qian Hongtao, Operations Director of Almatis: “Policy incentives and facilitation measures in the Qingdao Free Trade Zone have helped us untie the knotty, node‑by‑node problems—covering financing, land use, and import/export customs and logistics processes—that arise at every critical juncture.”

If capital injection is the sincerest form of flattery, then repeated expansion is the most authentic vote of confidence—far more persuasive than any promotional pitch. Continental AG​has centralized its full-chain testing for materials and product development for the Asia-Pacific region in Qingdao. Hexagon, the Swedish high-tech engineering group, has not only located its Greater China headquarters here but also established a Smart Manufacturing Research Institute, integrating cutting-edge technologies from China, Germany, Italy, and Sweden.

Institutional Opening-Up serves as the fundamental bedrock supporting Qingdao’s shift toward “Winning Business.”May 2024:​Qingdao rolled out 52 targeted measures​via the Several Measures to Further Optimize the Business Environment. These reforms span the entire chain—from pro-enterprise services and administrative efficiency to project safeguards and systemic cost reductions. October 2025:​The city launched the “Easy Doing Business in Qingdao” (Qing Yi Ban) government service brand, signaling a commitment to frictionless administration. March 2026:​Qingdao unveiled a value-added reform scheme upgrading industrial services from handling “single matters”​to managing “entire categories of matters”​(Yi Lei Shi). This initiative delivers full-life-cycle services for entire industrial chains directly to the enterprise doorstep. Customs Innovation:​That same year, Qingdao Customs introduced 40 measures during a special campaign to facilitate cross-border trade. Innovations included an “Export White List” system and a policy permitting the return of faulty parts to the Comprehensive Bonded Zone for inspection and maintenance.

In 2025, Qingdao was approved as Shandong Province’s sole Comprehensive Pilot City for Expanding Opening-up in the Service Sector. Today, over 8,000 existing foreign-invested enterprises—accounting for a mere 1.6% of the city’s total market entities—contribute 12.8% of local tax revenue and 19.2% of foreign trade volume, while providing jobs for 228,000 people. Furthermore, 181 Fortune Global 500 companies have invested in over 420 projects in Qingdao. The Qingdao Free Trade Zone alone has attracted 69 German-speaking enterprises (including those from German-speaking regions), spanning key sectors such as advanced manufacturing, vocational education, technology R&D, and green building.

For seven years, this pact has endured. Global leaders return not merely for the scenery of Fushan Bay, but because this soil nurtures new opportunities. Multinationals have answered “Why Qingdao?” with action: here, business is not just conducted; it is won.