Situated on the southeast coast of China, Xiamen is an island city with a population of 3.86 million (2015). One of China’s top tourist destinations, this scenic island boasts temperate weather, beautiful gardens, white sand beaches, and a thriving inner harbor similar to Baltimore’s. The Port of Xiamen ranks among the world’s top twenty and China’s top ten container ports. The city also has a modern airport that is one of China’s major aviation hubs.
The history of Xiamen dates to ancient times when the island was settled circa 282 AD. The current city name, which means “door to the national building”, first appeared in 1387 during the Ming Dynasty.
Because of their proximity, there are many connections between Xiamen and Taiwan. The two islands are only 100 miles apart, both peoples speak the same Chinese dialect, and there is substantial Taiwanese business investment in the Xiamen area.
In 1980, the Chinese government designated Xiamen as one of its original four “Special Economic Zones” with liberal rules for foreign trade and investment. This has created one of the most dynamic local economies in China.
U.S. investors in Xiamen include GE, Kodak, Dell, Boeing, Coca-Cola, and Wal-mart. Every September the city hosts the China International Fair for Investment & Trade (“CIFIT”), which has become one of China’s largest economic events, attracting companies from all over the country and thousands of foreign participants.
For more information, please visit:
Xiamen Municipal Government:
http://english.xm.gov.cn/
What’s On Xiamen (Xiamen and Fujian portal site):
http://www.whatsonxiamen.com
China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT):
http://www.chinafair.org.cn/english/index/index.aspx
Hong Kong Trade Development Council 2016 Market Profile on Fujian:
http://china-trade-research.hktdc.com/business-news/article/Facts-and-Figures/Fujian-Market-Profile/ff/en/1/1X000000/1X06BPX0.htm