Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, is striving to build itself into an important regional logistics center, reducing logistic costs, enhancing efficiency and strengthening the logistics industry.

The city plans to accelerate the implementation of modern logistics network projects this year, with six projects to be completed, construction on eights projects to be started and five new projects to be introduced, said Zhai Libo, director of the Jinan Port and Logistics Office, at a news conference on April 25.

The city aims to invest 3 billion yuan ($414 million) in 2024 and attract over 10 billion yuan in logistics investment, Zhai said.

He said that efforts are underway to accelerate the construction of the national smart port pilot project, strengthen the integration of data from various sources and enhance the digital and informational capabilities of air and land ports, thereby improving the efficiency of ports.

To improve its business environment, Jinan is working to facilitate cross-border trade and create a more convenient and efficient customs clearance environment, Zhai said.

In 2023, the city's logistics industry experienced stable growth, with total annual investment reaching 4.4 billion yuan. The China-Europe (Jinan) freight train service added a new route to Vietnam, bringing the total number of routes to 14 and connecting 48 cities in 21 countries. The annual number of freight train services increased by 25.6 percent to 1,006 trains.