The 1688 Cultural and Creative Industry Park, the first of its kind to focus on sea culture in China, started constructions in a decommissioned factory in Qingdao City, Shandong Province.

The park is planned to take up an area of 8.33 hectares and see an investment of 620 million yuan (US$ 98 million), according to the spokesman for the Qingdao Municipal Commission of Development and Reform.

The park will feature innovative and high-end design, exhibition, promotion and sales of sea-cultural products and other tourism souvenirs.

It can also facilitate communication between designers. The spokesman added that the park will display the achievements of blue economies in Shandong Peninsula during the 2014 World Horticultural Exposition in Qingdao.

The project launched by the China National Arts and Crafts Group is expected to be completed in June, 2014.