The Western Returned Scholars Association returnees town was unveiled in Jinan, capital of Shandong province, on Oct 31. This marks the eighth returnees town in China, serving as a key platform for high-tech innovation and talent aggregation.

The initiative to develop 10 returnees towns across China was launched in 2018 by the Western Returned Scholars Association, with seven already established in Yinchuan, Changsha, Hangzhou, Wuxi, Zhuji, Lingshui county, and Fengxian district, each specializing in a specific high-tech sector.

Located in the Qilu Science and Technology Innovation Corridor, which has developed an integrated innovation ecosystem in eastern Jinan, the town covers 4.54 square kilometers.

The town is dedicated to artificial intelligence, a core sector in the city, and serves as an innovation hub for AI technology and industry. It aims to attract international talent, strengthen computing power, data, and AI models, and focus on four areas: power semiconductors, intelligent sensors, advanced computing capabilities, and intelligent applications.

Jinan has established a comprehensive AI industry chain spanning infrastructure, key sectors, and applications, and boasts a computing power of 4,763 petaflops. Inspur, based in Jinan, holds a leading global market share in AI servers, while the city has registered 11 large-scale AI models with the national authority, representing 64.7 percent of Shandong's total. In 2024, the city's AI industry grew to 48.2 billion yuan ($6.77 billion), ranking eighth in the China AI City Ranking.

Talent is the core driver of industrial development in the town. Jinan has provided comprehensive policies for talent attraction and is fully committed to creating an international environment, featuring service hubs, international communities, and schools, to support both international professionals and returnees. Within the town, the Jiaxuan international talent community offers a full range of services, from housing and education to leisure and recreation.

The town has already attracted over 20 academicians, more than 220 provincial-level leading scholars, and over 500 returnees, forming 112 research teams and holding over 2,500 authorized patents.

The unveiling ceremony for the Western Returned Scholars Association returnees town is held in Jinan on Oct 31. [Photo/WeChat account: lichengtongzhan]