1979年5月,一艘名为“友好之船”的轮船从青岛起航扬帆日本下关市,船上搭载的中日友好访问团。在访问过程中,一个将青岛与下关结为友好城市的提议受到宾主双方的热烈欢迎。当年10月,青岛市与日本下关市签订了友好城市合作协议,成为山东省对外开放的新起点。而后,山东省于1982年8月和日本山口县的省级友城合作协议则拉开了山东省缔结友好城市工作的序幕。 In May 1979, a ship named “Friendship Ship” sailed from Qingdao to sail the Japanese-Japanese friendship delegation held in Shimonoseki, Japan. During the visit, a proposal of turning Qingdao into a friendship city with Xiaguan was warmly welcomed by both guests and host. In October of that year, Qingdao City signed a friendly city cooperation agreement with Shimonoseki, Japan, becoming a new starting point for the opening up of Shandong Province. Then, in August 1982, Shandong Province and the provincial-level allies cooperation agreement in Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan, opened the prelude to the conclusion of friendship cities in Shandong Province.