On August 8, Shandong's Zaozhuang City held a press conference to introduce the Regulations on Promoting the Development of the Lithium Battery Industry in Zaozhuang City. Notably, it represents Zaozhuang's first exploration and practice of introducing a document to promote the development of an industry in the form of legislation, and also China's first regulations document dedicated to the lithium battery industry. As per the press conference, the document will come into force on October 1, 2023.

This year, the number of enterprises in the lithium battery industrial chain in the city has risen to 117, with a year-on-year increase of 108.4% in their operating revenue in the first half of the year. Following a problem-oriented approach, the document makes specific provisions on planning, development, scientific research innovation, service guarantee, and other aspects in a targeted, standardized, forward-looking, and operable way.

Next, Zaozhuang will encourage lithium battery enterprises in the city to strengthen supply-demand cooperation to promote the coordinated development of upstream and downstream links of the industrial chain. Meanwhile, Zaozhuang will focus on advancing the linkage and upgrading throughout the industrial chain and creating a more favorable business environment to provide a legal guarantee for the development of emerging industries.