Rizhao Economic and Technological Development Zone was established in August 1991 and upgraded to a national economic and technology development zone under the approval of the State Council in 2010. It is recognized as an opening-up and innovation pilot area, a blue industry cluster, and a livable and pro-business role model in ethical and cultural progress in Rizhao City.

Located in the southeast of the city proper of Rizhao and within easy walking distance from the 100-million-ton Port of Rizhao, the Zone is in a position to achieve resources sharing with the city and advance the integrated development of port, industries, city and ocean.

In areas around Tianjin Road and Dalian Road in the north of the Zone, it has held the key to creating high-end business districts and urban complexes that integrate operational headquarters, commercial finance, office and residence, modern logistics, and life and entertainment, and to building boutique commercial and dwelling complexes with urban public functions. In addition, priorities have been given to the development of high-tech industries and to  construction of administrative services, cultural education, medical and health service, high-speed rail economy, and public services in the Zone to create a new urban district with multiple functions.

While in areas around Shanghai Road and Shenzhen Road in the south of the Zone, priorities have been given to the development of grain and oil food, pulp and paper production, printing and packaging, automobiles and parts, port-surrounding logistics, bonded logistics, high-end equipment manufacturing, biotechnology and other industries.

Rizhao Economic-Technological Development Area borders Qingdao City in the north and Jiangsu’s Lianyungang City in the south, and enjoys efficient transportation links to inland provinces in the west. With such a prime location, the Zone boasts easy accessibility.

Two expressways and two national highways have formed an accessible transportation network connecting the Zone with Liaodong Peninsula, Shandong Peninsula, Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta from north to south and with the Central Plains from east to west. In addition, Rizhao–Weifang, Rizhao–Zaozhuang and Lanshan–Linyi Expressways will be completed and put into service soon.

There are three railways passing through Rizhao , namely Heze–Rizhao, Pingshang–Lanshan and Jiaozhou–Xinyi. Other major transportation projects include the Qingdao–Rizhao–Lianyungang–Yancheng Railway will be opened to traffic at the end of 2018; the Lunan High-speed Railway from Rizhao to Kaifeng in the east-west direction is under construction; Shanxi South Central Railway, a heavy haulage coal line, has been completed; the second line of Beijing–Shanghai High-speed Railway currently under planning and construction currently will pass through Rizhao.

Rizhao Shanzihe Airport has been put into service and opened flights to 20 destinations in 19 cities, including Beijing (Beijing Nanyuan Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport), Shanghai (Shanghai Pudong International Airport), Dalian, Harbin, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Shenzhen, Xi’an, Lanzhou, Zhengzhou, Chongqing, Tianjin, Shenyang, Chengdu, Taiyuan, Haikou, Changsha, Jinan and Hangzhou. In the meantime, international charter flights to Southeast Asia will be opened in due course according to the process of opening temporary ports.

A highway network featuring “six vertical highways and six horizontal highways” has been formed in the Zone.

Shugang Expressway, Shanghai Road, and Shenzhen Road serve as the main departure channels of Port of Rizhao;

The Kuishan transportation hub in the Zone, which is under construction, will link together high-speed railways in Rizhao;

Watang–Rizhao Railway, the first heavy haulage railway with a capacity of 30 tons in axle load in China, sets its terminal in the Zone;

It is only a 10-minute drive from Rizhao Shanzihe Airport to the Zone.