Tourists visit Gulangyu Island, a historic international settlement in Xiamen. CHINA DAILY

Coastal city in Fujian province carves out reputation for progress in reform, opening-up and urban development

Renowned for its vibrant Minnan (southern Fujian province) culture and stunning coastal scenery, Xiamen is a modern international city shaped by reform, openness, inclusiveness and innovation.

This year not only marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, but is a crucial year for Xiamen to implement comprehensive reform pilots and accelerate urban development.

The city is committed to exploring new paths for the nation and seizing opportunities, striving to promote high-quality economic and social development and to be at the forefront of achieving socialist modernization.

Approved to set up a special economic zone in 1980, Xiamen is often seen as a microcosm of China's reform and opening-up process. Over the past 40 years, Xiamen has witnessed many "firsts", including proposing the "small government, big society "principle, establishing the first Sino-foreign joint venture bank, and developing the first local airline in China.

Over the past four decades, the city's economic output has skyrocketed from less than 1 billion yuan ($141.2 million) to more than 800 billion yuan, positioning it as a contender for the next trillion-yuan GDP city.

Its total imports and exports have surged from less than $100 million to 947 billion yuan, and it ranks 11th among China's top 100 foreign trade cities. Its technological competitiveness has also reached the top tier, ranking 38th among leading global research cities and metropolitan circles.

In June 2023, Xiamen embarked on a comprehensive reform pilot mission assigned by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council. This reform pilot is not limited to traditional "single-point breakthroughs", but integrates reforms in State-owned assets and enterprises, investment and financing systems, free trade zones, and business environments.

It involves high-standard market systems, the construction of an open and innovative industrial ecosystem, the promotion of social reforms, and the improvement of modern urban governance, requiring a systemic, holistic and coordinated reform mindset.

The southern part of Xiang'an district is one of the key areas for Xiamen's comprehensive reform, carrying the mission of reform and development since its inception. In just one year, nearly 200 new enterprises have been registered there, with investments in key projects totaling more than 30 billion yuan.

For instance, the Xiamen aviation industry park, a key project in Fujian, recently passed its completion acceptance and officially commenced operations. Covering a total construction area of approximately 220,000 square meters, the park has attracted 14 leading enterprises in the aviation industry with the intention to establish operations there.

Additionally, Xiamen has set ambitious goals to build international centers of shipping; trade; tourism and exhibition; as well as regional centers of innovation and finance; and a BRICS new industrial revolution partnership innovation base in the coming years. BRICS, an informal grouping of countries that developed into an intergovernmental organization, stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Robust industry

Reform has injected vitality into Xiamen's industrial development. An 8-inch silicon carbide power device chip manufacturing project by Silan Microelectronics is currently under construction, with a total investment of 12 billion yuan. Its first phase is expected to start trial production in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Moreover, the latest achievements of the cooperation between Xiamen and China's leading battery manufacturer CATL — the electrochemical energy storage system construction project (phase I) — has also commenced.

According to Xiamen's policymakers, developing new quality productive forces requires technological innovation. Cui Yonghui, Party secretary of the city, said Xiamen will implement technological innovation-driven projects; promote the integrated reform of education, science and talent systems; and build a national independent innovation demonstration zone and a BRICS science and technology incubation park.

At the national science and technology awarding conference held in June in Beijing, Xiamen won seven national sci-tech awards, the highest number in its history. Also, in the eighth batch of national manufacturing "single champion "enterprises announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Xiamen had four enterprises listed, bringing its total to 18.

Data show that investment in high-tech manufacturing in Xiamen currently accounts for 61.7 percent of total investment in the sector. The added value of high-tech manufacturing accounts for 40.2 percent of industrial enterprises above designated size.

In more than 20 sub-fields such as semiconductors, integrated circuits, biomedicine and panel displays, Xiamen has nearly 100 technologies and products from more than 60 enterprises, universities and research institutes that are leading nationally or globally. Some of these products hold the highest market share in the country or even the world.

Openness

Historically, Xiamen served as a key port for commerce and trade. Today, as a key land-sea hub of the Belt and Road Initiative, the city has become a bridge for deepening cooperation among BRICS countries.

In 2017, the ninth BRICS Summit was held in Xiamen, marking it one of the Chinese cities to shine on the international stage. During the 12th BRICS Summit in 2020, China announced the launch of the BRICS new industrial revolution partnership innovation base in Xiamen, making the city a key platform for high-level opening-up and innovative cooperation. In 2023, Xiamen's trade with BRICS countries reached 109.25 billion yuan, an increase of 14.4 percent year-on-year.

In recent years, leveraging the advantages of its pioneering reforms, Xiamen has taken the lead in high-level opening-up. The "cross-border e-commerce plus China-Europe Railway Express plus Silk Road shipping model" pioneered by Xiamen has become one of the nation's best practice cases.