By 2012, newly approved and expanded foreign-invested projects with additional capital input in Qingdao reached 956. Actual utilization of foreign capital amounted to $5.69 billion，ranking second place among 15 secondary provincial cities.

The following features of foreign capital utilization in Qingdao in 2012 can be observed:

First, major foreign-invested projects played a more and more noticeable role in driving the economy. The city boasts 135 newly-approved investment projects with a total investment of more than $10 million, $3.14 billion in contracted foreign investment, 61 expanded projects with additional capital input, $1.82 billion in newly-contracted foreign investment, 98 settled projects exceeding $10 million, foreign capital settlement of $2.33 billion, 10 approved projects amounting to more than $100 million in investment – including Everbright and Haier’s Logistic – and 14 approved international projects financed by Global 500 companies like GDF Suez and AEON Maxvalu.

Second, the foreign-invested manufacturing industry showed rapid growth and further optimization of its internal service sector. Settled payments from the manufacturing sector amounted to $2.23 billion at a growth rate of 58.6 percent Computers and other electronics equipment saw sales double. General equipment grew by 139 percent, and equipment for special use went up by 140 percent. Settled payment from the service sector reached $2.19 billion at a growth rate of 12.3 percent, accounting for 47.5 percent of the total manufacturing industry. Real estate dropped by 28.1 percent, but finance increased by 310 percent. Technology services along with rent and commercial services went up by 430 percent and 92.4 percent, respectively.

Third, the investment flow from developed countries to Qingdao city showed good momentum. Settled investment from South Korea reached $560 million at a growth rate of 45.2 percent. Investment from Japan reached $510 million at a growth rate of 160 percent. America invested $304 million at a growth rate of 400 percent, Singapore $210 million at a growth rate of 42.7 percent, EU countries $160 million at a growth rate of 48 percent, and Hong Kong $2.03 billion at a growth rate of 44.1 percent, ranking first place.

Finally, foreign investment models have become more and more diversified. There are 11 projects financed by Gangzhong Group, Agility Group and Yanmar Marine by RFDI (RMB foreign direct investment) for a total amount of 1.21 billion yuan, becoming a new attractive spot to foreign investment. There are 29 M&A projects including Shihua Port and Yellow River Steel Logistic that will generate $430 million of contracted foreign capital. Other projects like Panasonic Electronics, TMQ Medics and TDK Electronics were further expanded with additional capital input. Additional foreign investment from expanded projects reached $3.1 billion, up 47.2 percent.