[Explanation] The celebration meeting for the 40th anniversary of the construction of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone was held at the Xiamen International Conference Center on December 21. Representatives from all walks of life gathered together for the grand event.

In 1981, the Huli Processing Zone blasted off and opened the prelude to the construction of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone.

For forty years, the former small island town has turned into a modern, international city with high quality and good looks.

Standing at a new historical starting point, the Xiamen Special Economic Zone has bravely stood at the forefront and is moving towards "better" and "higher" again.

　　[Explanation] Xiamen is "built for Taiwan", "special for Taiwan", and "prosperous for Taiwan."

In the past forty years, Xiamen has taken the lead in expanding cross-strait exchanges and cooperation in an all-round way.

Today, more than 120,000 Taiwanese have lived and lived in Xiamen for a long time, and the import volume of Taiwanese food, alcohol, books and rice at Xiamen port ranks first in the mainland.

　　[Concurrent] Wu Jiaying, an advanced model figure in the 40th anniversary of the construction of Xiamen Special Economic Zone, Chairman of Xiamen Taiwanese Investment Enterprise Association

　　The first Taiwanese-funded enterprise came to Xiamen, our motherland, for development 40 years ago. From the first to the present, there are more than 8,000 Taiwanese-funded enterprises, from a US dollar industrial output value to more than 200 billion today and nearly 300 billion. The industrial output value, which is responsible for the economic development of Xiamen, is about 32%.

　　[Explanation] Xiamen has always adhered to the spirit of daring to be the first and dare to try in the construction of the special zone. The badminton Olympic champion Chen Long has a deep feeling about this. The city has witnessed his growth from a young sports school student to a world champion and Olympic champion.

　　[Concurrent] The 40th Anniversary of Xiamen Special Economic Zone Construction, Advanced Model Figure, Rio Olympic Games Badminton Men's Singles Champion Chen Long

　　(Xiamen) Every night, Saturday and Sunday, not only may many adults, I think many teenagers will also like this kind of badminton sport, so I think I hope to say that I can participate in this kind of badminton on the road in the future. Mass sports and national fitness include the promotion of young people entering campuses.

　　[Explanation] Looking back on the construction process of the special zone, the business environment has become more and more optimized, attracting a large number of high-quality talents to take root, becoming a microcosm of the reform and innovation of Xiamen, an open city.

　　[Concurrent] Kang Yingde, an innovative and entrepreneurial figure in the 40th anniversary of the construction of Xiamen Special Economic Zone, General Manager of Xiamen Baili Seedling Co., Ltd.

　　Although I am a native of Xiamen, I have changed a lot when I come back to start a business in the past ten years. In some old places, roads are constantly being built, and new chapters of the city are constantly expanding. Therefore, although we are from Xiamen, we are still very concerned about the speed of development. It was so fast, which surprised us.

　　[Explanation] The biotechnology industry is an area that Xiamen focuses on fostering and developing.

There are 777 biomedical and health companies in Xiamen.

The first domestic cervical cancer vaccine jointly developed by Xiamen University and Xiamen Wantai Canghai Biotechnology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Yangshengtang Wantai Biotechnology Co., Ltd., obtained PQ certification from the World Health Organization this year.

The person in charge of the company believes that the overall atmosphere for innovation and entrepreneurship in Xiamen is good, the business environment is excellent, and the industrial chain has great advantages.

　　[Concurrent] Li Shicheng, Chairman of Xiamen Wantai Canghai Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

　　Our innovation is intelligence, and we must have the wisdom of human beings. The technology of our middle and upper reaches comes from the team of Xia Ningshao of Xiamen University. The company has been losing money for about 15 years. Shareholders invested in my company. The cash is more than two billion yuan (RMB), and (at the beginning) there is no return. So without a continuous investment of capital, you will not be able to innovate, and you will not be able to make subversive technologies and products.

　　[Explanation] For ABB Group, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Switzerland, Xiamen is one of its important global industrial bases.

In 1991, ABB Group set up an office in Xiamen. From building multiple global R&D centers to having a full value chain business from R&D and design to production services, ABB Group took root in Xiamen and achieved continuous development and growth of its business in China.

　　[Concurrent] Zhao Yongzhan, President of ABB Electric China

　　We in Xiamen City will also want to develop across the island, that is, to provide everyone with a larger space to develop a space for several years of development in the future, and to provide a better opportunity. This is a point that we need to develop ourselves.

The establishment of such a larger industrial center in Xiang'an District is to satisfy my development in the next few decades.

　　[Explanation] Statistics show that Xiamen’s actual use of foreign capital has increased from US$08 million in 1983 to RMB 16.605 billion in 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 16.9%, accounting for 47.7% of Fujian’s entire province.

Xiamen is not only "bringing in" but also "going out."

Up to now, Xiamen has registered a total of 1,581 overseas investment projects, with investments in 74 countries and regions.

　　[Explanation] The reform has not stopped, and the opening up has not stopped. From 1981 to 2021, the GDP of Xiamen has increased by 862 times, the industrial added value has increased by 563 times, the total fiscal revenue has increased by 692 times, and the urban built-up area has expanded by more than 18 times.

Now the Xiamen Special Economic Zone is pushing reform and opening up from a higher starting point, and strives to build a leading demonstration zone for high-quality development by 2025.

　　Reporter Li Siyuan reports from Xiamen, Fujian

Editor in charge: [Li Yuxin]