AS Xiamen City in Fujian Province plays host to the 3rd Summit of the Foreign Ministers of China and the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) with bilateral relations with China, it is worth looking at the facts published by China Daily about this coastal city in order to appreciate its idealness as an international meeting venue.
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka is attending the high-level summit.
Xiamen is located on the west bank of the Taiwan Strait, and is an important central port and scenic tourist hub.
Due to its location in the sub-tropical zone, Xiamen enjoys a pleasant climate and beautiful natural environment with flowers blooming all year round.
It is a habitat for egrets since ancient times. It has long enjoyed the reputation as the charming “Garden on the Sea”.
Xiamen has seen its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and total fiscal revenue grow at an average annual rate of 15.6 per cent and 19.4 per cent since it became one of the first four special economic zones to be established on the Chinese Mainland in 1980.
In recent years, Xiamen has become one of China’s top innovative cities by taking forward trials of the largest number of Chinese reforms with the strongest, most centralized and most effective measures.
Since the establishment of the Xiamen Free Trade Zone over the past three years, great advancements have been made in creating a world-class business environment.
Xiamen pioneered 52 reform measures, and experienced a high rise through the ranks of international business environments from 61st in 2014 to the current 38th in a “global economy” list.
There are several 100-billion-yuan industrial clusters that develop flat-panel displays, computers and communications, shipping logistics, software and information, and tourism meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions.
The world’s largest touch screen component research and development (R&D) and production base and the world’s largest high-end LED bulb manufacturing and export base are located in Xiamen.
The city is also home to the Asia-Pacific’s largest aviation maintenance base.
Xiamen has hosted many international meetings over the years, including the 9th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit held on 4 September 2017, and will host 14 international conferences from June to December this year.
By DELI-SHARON OSO
In Xiamen City, China
