Licheng district in Quanzhou [Photo/VCG]

Over the past 1,300 years, Licheng district has been the political, economic, cultural, transport and information center of Quanzhou. The district has a land area of 53.74 square kilometers, with eight subdistricts (81 communities) and a national-level high-tech zone under its jurisdiction. It has a registered population of 290,800 and a permanent population of over 398,000.

In 2023, the GDP of Licheng district reached 56.78 billion yuan ($7.83 billion), an increase of 8.4 percent year-on-year.

Licheng is home to 81 cultural relics under protection at all levels, including Kaiyuan Temple and Tianhou Palace, and 65 intangible cultural heritage protection projects.

It is a national advanced cultural zone, the home of Chinese folk culture and art, and an important venue for activities such as the Asia Arts Festival and the Maritime Silk Road International Arts Festival.

There are 50 high-tech enterprises in Licheng, the fourth-most in Quanzhou, 12 listed enterprises, four smart manufacturing pilot demonstration enterprises above municipal level, including one national and four provincial. It has 40 engineering technology research and development (R&D) centers and industrial technology development centers above municipal level, three postdoctoral workstations, six academician workstations, 10 new-type R&D institutes above municipal level, five science and technology incubators above municipal level, and seven public innovation spaces above municipal level.

As the core area of Quanzhou National Innovation Demonstration Zone, Licheng high-tech zone ranks first among the 10 industrial parks in Quanzhou in comprehensive competitiveness.

The district is also the ancestral home to nearly 330,000 overseas Chinese living in 63 countries and regions around the world.