Qingdao Introduction

Qingdao is located at the southern tip of the Shandong Peninsula (35’35′ ~ 37’09′N, 119’30′~ 121’00′E). Qingdao has a total coastline (including its islands) of 870 kilometers, 730 kilometers of which are continental coastline, accounting for one fourth of the total length in Shandong Province. There are numerous capes and coves along the zigzag coastline. Qingdao has seven urban districts and five county-level cities under its jurisdiction with a total area of 10,654 with the total population of approximately 8.2 million comes under the jurisdiction of Qingdao Local Government. The urban population is 2.3 million which includes 60,000 Koreans working and/or residing in Qingdao.
Qingdao lies in the North Temperate Zone and has the typical temperate monsoon climate. Under the direct influence of the southeastern monsoon and the sea currents and tides, the city proper features marked marine climate humid air, mild temperature and clear-cut seasons. In spring, the weather becomes warmer slowly, usually one month later than the inland areas. It is humid and rainy in summer, but is free from fiercely hot days, while cool and dry in autumn. Winter here is long and usually windy but not unbearably cold.

History Before troops were garrisoned here by the imperial court of Qing in 1891, Qingdao had been a small fishing village. It became a German concession in 1897 and was occupied by invading Japanese soldiers when the First World War broke out in 1914. The famous May 4th Movement was launched in 1919 and protestors, against the then Chinese government yielding to Japanese pressure, demanded the recommencement of sovereignty over Qingdao. The city reverted to Chinese rule in 1922, but was occupied by Japan again during the Second World War. After World War II Qingdao served as the headquarters of the Western Pacific Fleet of the US Navy. The USS Alaska, allowed by the KMT, occupied Tsingtao, China in October 1945. On June 2nd, 1949, the CCP’s Red Army entered Qingdao City; Shandong and Qingdao’s municipalities have been under PRC control since that time.
Qingdao is comprised of 7 districts: Shinan, Shibei, Sifang, Licang, Chengyang, Huangdao, and Laoshan, and 5 county-level cities: Jiaozhou, Jiaonan, Jimo, Pingdu, and Laixi.
Qingdao is a sailing city in China. The 29th Olympic sailing regatta will be held here in 2008.
Qingdao is one of the 14 coastal cities opening up to the outside world and one of the eight cities authorized to hold international conferences.Qingdao is one of China’s major seaports for foreign trade.

Every summer Qingdao hosts the Beer Festival.
Main Site (LaoShan District)
HuiQuan Square: Olympic Time Square (ShiBei District)
Other Sites: DengZhou Lu (Beer Street), JUSCO pedestrian mall, TaiDong pedestrian mall, & Yinhai International Yacht Club

Beer City Events

The festival begins with the opening ceremony, followed by 16 days of beer tasting, evening entertainment and drinking competitions, concluding with the final ceremony. Opening Ceremony :: September 19th, 2008 October 4th, 2008
Carnival of Gluttony – Closing Ceremony : October 5th, 2008

General Admission: 10 – 20 RMB
10 RMB (09:00 – 15:00)
20 RMB (15:00 – 22:00)
Hours: 09:00 – 22:00

Beijing Bullet Train Begins Service April 18th

From April 18th, 2007, bullet trains connected Qingdao and Beijing with five other major cities. The train travels at speeds between 200 and 250 Kilometers per hour between the capital and the six cities of Shanghai, Wuhan, Shenyang, Changchun, Harbin and Qingdao. The Journey between Qingdao and Beijing will takes 5 hours and 48 minutes.

Ticket prices for the bullet trains cost 50 percent more than the current express trains, which usually travel at 115 kilometers per hour. Passengers are allowed to book tickets up to 20 days in advance at designated ticket offices in the cities involved or at the local railway stations.