About the City

Weihai is a medium-sized Chinese city with a total population of 2.48 million, of which the urban area occupies 50.8 km² and the population is 420,000. It is located 641 kilometres from Beijing in Shandong Province, which is one of the strongest economic provinces between the capital and Shanghai. The Weihai area has been inhabited for more than 7000 years and it was one of the first 14 coastal cities in China to open to the world. The city is backed against mountains and faces the sea on three sides, with a coastline that stretches more than 1000 kilometres. Recently, the city has experienced both the rapid development of infrastructure and of the economy.

Successful City Initiatives

With sound environmental practices and extensive green coverage, Weihai has received national and international recognition for its commitment to the protection and improvement of the environment. The city has been awarded the First National Hygienic City, China's First Model City of Environmental Protection, First Outstanding Tourism City, and the UN International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment. In 2003, Weihai also won the UN Habitat Scroll of Honour Award. In recent years Weihai has improved treatment of waste water and solid waste, and has introduced foreign capital to assist in funding infrastructural development.

Issues Affecting the City

While the city has made remarkable progress in developing infrastructure and creating a clean and green urban environment, Weihai still faces some problems in housing, medical care, education, transportation, and employment, largely due to the increasing number of floating residents in the urban area. Also, problems related to the social security and cultural well-being of the aged population, and the implementation of services to address their needs, are becoming more conspicuous and the city is seeking initiatives and ideas to deal with these issues.