On July 17, Shandong announced the 2023 list of characteristic industrial clusters in Shandong Province. To vigorously promote the characteristic and clustered development of small and medium-sized businesses in Shandong Province, the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Shandong Province has organized the 2023 cultivation and identification work on characteristic industrial clusters in Shandong in accordance with Ten Special Actions for Promoting High-quality Development of Private Economy in Shandong Province in 2023 and Measures for the Management of Characteristic Industrial Clusters in Shandong Province. After voluntary declarations of clusters, recommendations by cities, expert reviews and online announcements, 35 clusters including the characteristic industrial cluster for the intensive processing of high-quality steel in Gangcheng District of Jinan City were determined as the Characteristic Industrial Cluster of Shandong Province in 2023.