The 800-year-old Gusao Tower in Shishi, Quanzhou [Photo provided to enquanzhou.com]

Shishi city was established in December 1987 with the approval of the State Council. It has a land area of 160 square kilometers. In 2018, the city's comprehensive economic strength ranked 16th among the top 100 small and medium-sized cities in China and second in Fujian province.

Shishi has won many titles such as National Civilized City, Top 10 Dynamic County-Level Cities in China, the Best Commercial City in Chinese Mainland, and Famous Leisure Clothing City in China. It ranks 21st among the top 100 counties and cities in new urbanization quality of small and medium-sized cities in China, and is one of China's most dynamic and competitive investment destinations.

Shishi is famous for its clothing industry and was in the first batch of National Model Textile Industry Cluster and the Top 10 Model Clusters of the National Garment Industry. After 30 years of development, it has formed a complete textile and apparel industry chain, which is one of the important textile and apparel production bases and distribution centers in China, one of China's five major cross-border apparel procurement bases, and one of the most important apparel professional markets in Asia.

Shishi's output value created by the private economy accounts for 90 percent of the city's total economic output. Shishi trades with 163 countries and regions around the world. In September 2018, Shishi garment city was successfully approved as the first State-level marketing purchase and trade mode pilot area in Fujian, enabling merchants to enjoy multiple conveniences of export trade, and building an export commodity trade mode.

The urban built-up area in Shishi is 38.6 sq km, and the urbanization rate is 79.1 percent, ranking first among all counties and cities in Fujian.

Shishi has been constantly increasing investment in people's livelihoods in recent years, and has built a number of social undertakings and public welfare facilities. The city's social development index remains at the forefront in the province.

Shishi is also a famous hometown of overseas Chinese. Shishi people are distributed in 49 countries and regions around the world.