Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, is ramping up efforts to optimize the urban environment for foreigners, local authorities reported.

The city will promote the construction of international communities and neighborhoods to provide a good living environment for foreigners.

More international gardens will be built in communities to showcase iconic landscapes from Jinan's sister cities and create a more healthy natural environment.

The city built an international healthcare center in 2019 affiliated to the Jinan Central Hospital. The center consists of a group of experts with overseas study experience and offers English consultation services.

Since opening, the center has received more than 500 patients from more than 10 countries including the United States, France, Japan and Britain.

The city will promote the development of high-level international schools to meet the educational needs of children of foreign nationals in Jinan. One K-12 school for children of foreign nationals has already been built, known as the Jinan Thomas School.

Local authorities will also standardize the English translation of names in the city's public areas and create a good international language environment for expats.

A regional visa center was launched in the city in October, 2019, which has served nearly 150,000 people to date.