The launch of a bonded logistics center in Linqing, an inland city in western Shandong province, is bringing port-style customs clearance and bonded services closer to local manufacturers, marking a step forward in the province's efforts to streamline foreign trade logistics and strengthen regional connectivity.

Located in the northern part of Liaocheng city, Linqing has long relied on coastal hubs such as Qingdao and Tianjin for import and export services due to its lack of direct access to sea or river ports. The new center changes that dynamic.

"The new center effectively extends port access to the city, helping businesses reduce costs and improve efficiency," said Wang Fuqing, chairman of Shandong Luxi International Land Port Co, the investor behind the project.

The facility is expected to enhance Linqing's role in regional trade by linking it more closely with areas along the Yellow River and beyond. It will also operate in coordination with the Luxi International Land Port to develop an integrated road-rail-sea freight network aimed at improving logistics efficiency and lowering transportation costs.

Supporting infrastructure, including a cross-border e-commerce industrial park, as well as grain storage and cold-chain logistics facilities, is under development alongside the center.

The Linqing project forms part of Shandong's broader push to advance high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin and strengthen coordination among regions. As the only coastal province along the river, Shandong has leveraged its geographic advantages to expand access to port services inland.

The province has established 54 inland ports both within and beyond its borders, including in cities such as Linqing, Caoxian in Heze, Zaozhuang, as well as Zhengzhou in Henan province, Xi'an in Shaanxi province and Lanzhou in Gansu province. It has also launched 106 sea-rail intermodal routes, extending port-related services to inland areas.

"During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Shandong will strengthen its infrastructure connectivity," Sun Aijun, director of the Shandong Development and Reform Commission, said at a news conference on Tuesday.

According to the province's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), Shandong will work more closely with other regions along the Yellow River to improve transport links and build a land-sea corridor connecting the river's upper, middle and lower reaches, while linking eastward to Japan and South Korea and westward to Central Asia and Europe.

Sun said Shandong's relatively balanced regional development has reinforced its economic standing. The province has 13 cities ranked among the country's top 100 by economic output and 12 counties in the same category. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), its share of northern China's total economic output rose from 20.5 percent to 21.1 percent.

"At this new starting point, we will fully implement the major national strategy for the Yellow River and strive to build Shandong into a key growth pole in northern China, playing a strategic hub role in the country's regional development landscape," Sun said.