Recently, the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Shandong Province released a list of 4,528 specialized and sophisticated SMEs in 2023. Positioned as "vanguards" that focus on market segments and enjoy a strong innovation ability, a high market share, core technologies in key fields and excellent quality and efficiency, specialized and sophisticated enterprises have injected new development momentum into different industries continuously.

When it comes to strengthening and completing industrial and supply chains, Shandong has made impressive achievements and specialized and sophisticated enterprises are not only a crucial link, but also an important force to maintain the security and stability of industrial and supply chains.

Shandong has strategically promoted the development of industrial and supply chains for years. In 2021, Shandong issued the Notice on Establishing a Mechanism for Promoting the Chain Chief System in Key Industrial Chains of the Manufacturing Industry, requiring to establish four supporting mechanisms of "chain owner" enterprises playing the leading role, industrial chain alliances playing a supporting role, enterprises, universities and research institutes offering collaboration, and ensuring factor guarantee services. In 2022, Shandong implemented the program to make breakthroughs in representative industrial chains, proposing that provincial leaders serve as "chain chiefs" of 11 representative industrial chains to achieve solid progress in the implementation of the "chain chief system."