Major forces

Apart from manufacturing, the zone is home to a group of software businesses including Meiya Pico in information security, Meitu in facial recognition and Xiamen Weite Technology, whose information technology innovation application platform was listed among the IT innovation application solutions in 2021 by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

"In the field of the digital economy, the zone has utilized technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and blockchain on the basis of software businesses and has achieved initial success in sectors including IT innovation application, the metaverse and the smart audiovisual industry," said an official from the administrative committee of the zone.

At present, a slew of businesses in the zone have seen rapid development and become major forces in Xiamen's digital economic growth.

For example, YLZ Information Technology in healthcare has ranked first in the circulation of social security cards with national new standards; video conference system provider Yealink is No 1 in the global video phone market; Migu has become one of the largest publishers of mobile phone animations in China; and Reconova has ranked among the country's top 100 AI businesses, with its facial recognition equipment deployed in nearly one-third of China's airports, according to the zone.

"Concentration, dedicated research and development, and specialization are key to the success of a business," said Yu Jinxi, deputy general manager of Reconova.

Data, algorithms and computing power are the three core elements in the digital economy era, Yu said.

This year, Reconova won the fifth place in the global competition Face Recognition Vendor Test. Moreover, its intelligent facial-recognition door locks were certified by the Third Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security, which is the first of its kind in the industry.

Over the past three years, the company has helped establish national standards for AI.

A San'an Optoelectronics technician tests products at the company's workshop. CHINA DAILY

Accelerating innovation

To foster innovative businesses, Xiamen has issued guidelines to accelerate the development of software and the emerging digital industry. The zone has also rolled out a series of preferential policies in fields such as technology, talent, finance and intellectual property, as part of its efforts to assist industrial innovation and upgrading.

The zone has formed a complete industrial cultivation system including spaces for innovators, incubators and industrial bases. It has created five national-level incubators measuring more than 1 million square meters and has built more than 100 spaces for innovators.

In addition, the zone has set up various industrial alliances and associations to help overcome technical difficulties and connect upstream and downstream sectors of the industrial chain.

The zone has provided businesses with technology support in their digital transformation, especially regarding the internet of things and AI, said Gao Yucong, general manager of the IT center at San'an Optoelectronics.

Headquartered in Xiamen, San'an has highlighted digitalization in its transformation from the photoelectric field and integrated circuits to the auto sector.

"In recent years, Xiamen and the zone have encouraged local supporting businesses, which has helped San'an find cooperation with more local service providers and receive more timely technical support and maintenance," Gao said.

Seizing the opportunities of the digital economy, the zone will build incubation bases for the metaverse industry and develop a cultural creation industry centering on the metaverse, an official of the zone said.

Meanwhile, the zone will develop the industrial software and industrial internet industry, make efforts to integrate the electronic information industry, and promote the construction of an export base of digital services, the official said.

The zone will develop digital cultural creation and IT services into strong industries and support businesses expanding into overseas markets involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and the BRICS partnership, the official added.

Guo Wei, Liu Qing and Li Shun contributed to this story.