Changes in Xiamen
Xiamen is a place to enjoy nature and serenity. It is an incubation base of entrepreneurship and one of the happiest cities in China. It has experienced remarkable changes since the reform and openingup policy was introduced in 1978. Once a backward town and a secluded outpost for sea defense, Xiamen has evolved into a beautiful, open and international coastal city. The residents encapsulate the ideals of work, wisdom, courage, innovation, openness, and inclusiveness.
The reform and opening-up policy has brought excellent development opportunities to Xiamen. In 1978, the Central Government made a strategic decision to shift the focus of national development to the economy, providing guidelines and supporting policies for the growth of Xiamen. The Xiamen Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was officially established in 1980 and took the lead in opening up. It has registered sustainable and rapid development since 1984. As an important port for many centuries, Xiamen boasts an advantageous geographical location which has facilitated its international development. By introducing foreign technologies, encouraging investment and thinking globally, Xiamen has strived to develop an export-oriented economy and a multi-tiered and diverse openingup policy.
The wisdom and courage of local people have also injected impetus into the development of Xiamen. Since the reform and opening up began, it has implemented development strategies as a pilot scheme and encouraged entrepreneurship. In recent years, Xiamen has strengthened its efforts and made significant improvements.
Reforms have been successful in boosting the market, improving the efficiency of item examination and approval, reforming social governance systems and building advanced social credit systems. Innovation-related practices have not only promoted economic and social development in Xiamen but have been a good reference for other cities to follow.
The sustainable development of Xiamen is largely attributed to its focus on green projects. The city has promoted the eco-city strategy and taken the lead in registering green and lowcarbon development across China. It has witnessed remarkable achievements in environmental and ecological protection and ranks among the top 10 most livable cities in China. The energy consumption per unit of GDP and that of the industrial value-added output of Xiamen have also remained at low levels.
Since the launch of reform and opening up, the local government has been committed to enriching residents’ daily life, increasing their income, improving their quality of life and strengthening the social safety net. In this new era, Xiamen will continue its efforts to deepen reform and opening up, improve the quality of economic development, raise people’s living standards and promote economic and social development.
The development of Xiamen has remained in line with China’s economic and social development in the past decades. Witnessing dramatic changes, the city has become the epitome of the reform and opening-up practice.