Weihai

Weihai (Chinese: 威海; pinyin: Wēihǎi, also Weihaiwei) is a seaport city on the Bohai Gulf in north-east Shandong province, China.

Geography

Weihai is surrounded by sea on three sides and the harbor is protected by Liugong Island (刘公岛; pinyin liu gong dao).

History

The port was once the base for the Beiyang Fleet of China during the Qing Dynasty. The city was part of a territory (c.285 sq mi/740 km²) called "Weihaiwei", which was leased by the United Kingdom from 1898 to 1930. It was a summer station for the British Far East Fleet. It was briefly a special administrative region after it was returned to the Republic of China, the successor to the Qing Dynasty.

The nickname British sailors gave to this port was "Way High."

Economy

It is now a commercial port and major fishing center with some light industries.

Miscellaneous

A campus of Shandong University is located there.

Weihai is twinned with Cheltenham, UK.

Weihai is the sister-city of Santa Barbara, California, US.