To further create a new high ground for opening up and provide a broader stage for foreign talents to innovate and start businesses in Jinan, Jinan Area of China (Shandong) Pilot Free Trade Zone successfully held an innovation and entrepreneurship event for foreign talents. International friends engaged in economy, trade, culture, and education from all over the world who are in Jinan flocked to the event, and Jinan's international friendship network is expanding.

The Jinan Area serves as the vanguard for promoting institutional opening - up in the entire city and a new high ground for leading high level opening - up. It undertakes the powers delegated by the provincial government with high quality, improving the efficiency of government services. It integrates various services such as business consultation for coming to China, enterprise establishment, work permits for foreigners coming to China, residence permits, and convenient payment into an "all - in - one - thing" application scenario. It also innovates the mutual recognition mechanism for work permits for foreigners within the Shandong Pilot Free Trade Zone and establishes a "direct - access" system for recommending permanent residence for foreign high - level talents, providing them with a comprehensive and convenient service experience.

It is reported that in the five years since the approval of the Jinan Area, it has served more than 200 foreign talent employing units and nearly 700 foreign talents. Among them, foreign high - end talents (Category A) account for 34%. A total of 506 new foreign - funded enterprises have been established, injecting strong international wisdom and vitality into the development of the Jinan Area.

At this event, the newly established "Jinan Area Foreign Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Service Alliance" will integrate various resources, give full play to the policy dividends of institutional innovation in the pilot free trade zone, promote the deep integration of talent, technology and capital, and build a comprehensive service platform for foreign talents covering government services, policy services, financial services, and enterprise services.

Peter Poechmueller, a high - end foreign expert of the Organization Department of the Central Committee and a gainer of the Chinese Government Friendship Award, also shared his experiences of development in Jinan. In 2021, as the leader of the core team, he received investment led by Walden International, a well - known global semiconductor investment institution, and established the global R & D and product center - Xinmengda Semiconductor Technology (Jinan) Co., Ltd. in Jinan. The company is committed to the research and development of core technologies for high - end semiconductor memory testing systems. All products developed by the company have their core patents applied for in China.

It is understood that Jinan has established friendly relations with 89 cities in 48 countries, among which it has become sister cities with 29 cities in 26 countries and friendly cooperation cities with 60 cities in 36 countries. The network of friendly cities covers the five continents. Jinan uses its latecomer, location and cultural advantages to further strengthen international cooperation, strengthen friendly exchanges, and promote industrial integration, innovation and interaction, trade and mutual learning of civilizations.

（Liang Ruixin, Gong Lili, Hui Sheng）