Xiaofu River Wetland Park in Zibo, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zibo is located in the middle of East China's Shandong province, near Mount Tai in the south. It backs on to the Yellow River to the north, neighbors the spring city Jinan to the west, and is adjacent to Weifang and Qingdao to the east.

Zibo New District. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

As a Shandong Peninsula economy opening zone city approved by China's State Council and a "larger city", Zibo has local legislative power. It is also a typical group-style city, with a total area of 5,938 square kilometers and a total population of 4.2 million. It governs five districts - Zhangdian, Zichuan, Boshan, Zhoucun and Linzi - and three counties - Huantai, Yiyuan and Gaoqing.

A park with a unique water system in Zhangdian district, Zibo, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zibo has a long history and brilliant cultural background and is the birthplace of Qi culture. Linzi, the political, economic and cultural center of the Qi state for more than 800 years, is today a world soccer sports source area recognized by the International Soccer Association, and is honored as a "famous metropolis within the four seas".

The Great Wall of Qi. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zibo has produced numerous outstanding historical figures, including remarkable statesman such as Guan zhong, Yan Ying and Fang Xuanling; eminent thinkers like Zou Ji and Zou Yan; medical experts like Bian Que and Chun Yuyi; and outstanding writers such as Zuo Si, Pu Songling, Wang Yuyang, and Zhao Zhixin. The first monograph of the handicraft industry in Chinese history, the "Kao Gong Ji", the agricultural monograph "Qi Min Yao Shu", and the service industry monograph "Guan Zi", were all born here.

As we enter the present, the new century and new era, there are lots of great men still emerging from Zibo. The city has a number of proud achievements made by the diligent, pragmatic, and pioneering spirit of its citizens, as exemplified by Li Zhensheng, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who won the 2006 highest technology award.

Zibo is a National outstanding Tourism City. In addition to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty Died Horse Tumuli, the Tian Qiwang mausoleum, the Home of Pu Songling and many other human landscapes displaying the spirit of Qi culture, Zibo offers the beautiful scenery of "South Mountain, North Water", sitting as it does at the border of the middle mountains and north plain of Shandong province. 

In the southern mountainous area, water, forests, springs and caves stir a natural interest, with arbors, terraces, bowers and decorative waterfalls here and there. The Northern Plain River branches vertically and horizontally, giving a southern view in northern China. The western area Zhoucun originated as the "Land Pier", a key commercial town in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Today it has a well-preserved ancient architectural complex and strong business atmosphere. The television series "Great Dye House" and "Land Pier" were filmed there.

As a major industrial city of Shandong province and one might say of the entire country Zibo has seen its industry last for more than a century, and is today the country's major oil-chemical industry base and one of its five porcelain capitals. 

Zibo is also a State-level new material achievement transformation base and one of the main national production areas for building materials. Since 1992 Zibo has been continually ranked among the 50 comprehensive strength cities of China. 

Qilu Petrochemical as well as other National large enterprises are situated there. Zibo was the pilot city of the first group of cities developed with national science and technology, and is a star State-level fire technology compact area. 

There are nearly 1,000 different kinds of scientific research institutions and more than a dozen institutions of higher learning, generating together a high-tech industrial output value of over a hundred billion yuan.

Taihe Reservoir. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zibo is the hinge city connecting the Shandong Peninsula and inland cities, and the traffic is very convenient with railway links and crisscrossing highways. 

With an abundant industrial foundation, strong supporting capacity, perfected infrastructure and strong industrial development capacity, Zibo has twelve national verified and authorized economic zones, such as the Zibo high-tech Industry Development Zone and the Qilu Chemical Industry Zone. 

Especially in recent years, Zibo has been placed among the national investment environment 50 superior cities for its in depth implementation of the "Environmental set up the city" strategy and its omni-directional approach to creating a beautiful natural environment and a fine investment environment, both supported by appropriate government services.