Xiamen (厦门)

1. Introduction

Xiamen City, also known as Egret Island, abbreviated as Xia or Lu, is located in the southeastern part of Fujian Province. It is an important central city along China's southeastern coast, one of the earliest four special economic zones opened to the outside world, and is also a city with independent planning status and sub-provincial administrative level. Xiamen City borders Quanzhou City and Zhangzhou City, faces Kinmen County across the sea, and is a bay-type city composed of Xiamen Island, Gulangyu Island, and coastal areas such as Haicang, Jimei, Tong'an, and Xiang'an.

Xiamen City is a famous hometown for overseas Chinese in China and a key transportation hub in Asia: Xiamen Port ranks as the 7th largest container port in China and the 13th largest in the world, while Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport is the 6th largest entry and exit airport in China. Additionally, Xiamen is a renowned scenic tourist city, praised as "a city on the sea, with the sea within the city." Famous attractions include Gulangyu Island, Wanshi Mountain, Jimei School Village, Nanputuo Temple, and Xiamen University.

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2. History

In the third year of the Taikang era of the Western Jin Dynasty (282 AD), Tong'an County was established, its jurisdiction essentially covering the present-day Xiamen City and Kinmen County.

By the late 8th century, what is now Xiamen Island was called "Xincheng" (New City). By the mid-9th century, due to the abundant harvests of large rice ears on the island, it was geographically renamed "Jiahe Yu" (Bountiful Grain Islet) and administratively renamed "Jiahe Li" (Bountiful Grain Ward), subordinate to Tong'an County.

In the 20th year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1387 AD), Zhou Dexing, to defend against Japanese pirates, built the Zhongzuo Shouyu Qianhusuo (Central-Left Garrison Battalion) fortification at the southwestern tip of Jiahe Yu (present-day Xiamen Island) in Tong'an County. As this fort was located downstream of Haimen Island on the Jiulong River, it was thus named "Xiamen" (literally "Lower Gate"), elegantly referred to as "Xiamen" (meaning "Gate of the Great Mansion," i.e., the nation's gateway). This is the origin of the name "Xiamen."

In the second month of the ninth year of the Yongli era of the Southern Ming Dynasty (1655 AD), Zheng Chenggong changed the Zhongzuo Shouyu Qianhusuo to Siming Zhou (Siming Prefecture), whose jurisdiction included Xiamen Island, Greater and Lesser Kinmen, and their affiliated islands.

In the 15th year of the Southern Ming Yongli era (1661 AD), Zheng Chenggong, using Siming Zhou as his base, led his troops from Liaoluo Bay in Kinmen to conquer Taiwan.

In the 17th year of the Zheng Yongli era (1663 AD), Zheng Jing reformed Siming Zhou into Siming County. In the same year, Qing forces captured Xiamen Island, and Siming County was abolished.

In the 28th year of the Zheng Yongli era (1674 AD), Zheng Jing took advantage of the Revolt of the Three Feudatories to return to the mainland and recaptured Xiamen Island.

In the second month of the 34th year of the Zheng Yongli era (1680 AD), Qing forces once again captured Xiamen Island.

From 1684 to 1757, the Qing court established the Xiamen Customs Office of the Fujian Maritime Customs. In 1689, a British East India Company merchant ship exported Chinese tea directly to Britain from Xiamen Port for the first time.

In 1842, with the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing, Xiamen Port became one of the first five treaty ports opened in China.

On February 9, 1852, Britain obtained a concession on Xiamen Island.

In 1853, Huang Demei and Huang Wei led the Small Sword Society in an uprising in Xiamen, establishing a regime that lasted for half a year. In the same year, the Small Sword Society was forced to withdraw from Xiamen.

On August 23, 1900, Japanese authorities instigated Japanese-Taiwanese ronin to burn down the Higashi Honganji mission church and framed "Chinese mobs" for the act. The following day, under the pretext of "protecting nationals," Japan openly landed naval forces on Xiamen Island in an attempt to occupy it. However, due to intervention by Western powers, Japan's plot to monopolize Xiamen ultimately failed, leading to the creation of the "Gulangyu International Settlement."

On January 10, 1902, ten countries—Britain, the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden-Norway, and Japan—established the Gulangyu International Settlement.

In 1912, Kinmen Island, Xiamen Island, and other islands were separated from Tong'an County and placed under the jurisdiction of the newly established Siming County.

In 1915, Kinmen County was carved out from Siming County, administering Greater and Lesser Kinmen, Dadeng, Xiaodeng, and surrounding islands.

From November 7, 1922, to April 1924, warlord Zang Zhiping held Xiamen. After 1924, the Fujian Navy controlled Xiamen Island.

On September 17, 1930, the Nationalist Government recovered the British concession in Xiamen.

In November 1933, the 19th Route Army launched the "Fujian Incident," establishing the People's Revolutionary Republic of China. On December 1, Siming County was elevated to Xiamen City, making Xiamen the second city in Fujian after Tingzhou City (October 1931). On December 10, it was changed to Xiamen Special Municipality.

In January 1934, the "Fujian Incident" failed, and Xiamen Special Municipality was subsequently abolished, reverting to the Siming County administrative system.

On April 1, 1935, Siming County was abolished, and Xiamen City was formally established as a city directly under Fujian Province. However, its jurisdiction was limited to about 10 square kilometers in the southwestern part of Xiamen Island, while the remaining area of over 110 square kilometers on the island became the newly established Heshan Special District, which reverted to the jurisdiction of Tong'an County. In September 1937, due to the War of Resistance Against Japan, the separate administration of the Special District and Xiamen City was detrimental to war preparations. The Fujian Provincial Government therefore abolished the Heshan Special District in December. After abolition, it should have been transferred to Tong'an County but was merged into Xiamen City on the same island for administrative convenience, becoming a Class A District.

On May 13, 1938, Japanese forces occupied the entire Xiamen Island. On June 20, the Xiamen Peace Maintenance Committee was established. On July 1, 1939, Japanese authorities established Xiamen City. On March 30, 1943, Xiamen City was placed directly under the control of Wang Jingwei's Nationalist Government and elevated to Xiamen Special Municipality. On May 28, the Wang Jingwei regime recovered the Gulangyu International Settlement. On November 19, the jurisdictional area was adjusted to include: Xiamen Island, Gulangyu, Kinmen Island, Lesser Kinmen Island, Wuyu, and affiliated islands. The Xiamen Special Municipal Government established three administrative offices: Kinmen, Wuyu, and Gulangyu.

After the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Xiamen Municipal Government officially took over Gulangyu, establishing Gulangyu District. In October 1945, Xiamen City was divided into five districts: Xiaxi District, Xianan District, Xiagang District, Heshan District, and Gulangyu District. On June 1, 1946, Xiaxi District and Xianan District were merged into the Central District. In March 1948, Kaiyuan District was carved out from the Central District. In October, the Central District was renamed Siming District.

On October 17, 1949, the Chinese People's Liberation Army captured Xiamen. On the 21st, the Xiamen Municipal People's Government was formally established, continuing the 1948 administrative divisions.

On May 2, 1950, Xiagang District was abolished. The main area of Xiagang District was merged into Siming District, while the remaining area was transferred to Kaiyuan District. Simultaneously, Jingdong and Shentian from Siming District were transferred to Kaiyuan District.

On November 3, 1953, Jimei Township was transferred from Tong'an County to the jurisdiction of Xiamen City and changed to Jimei Town. From then on, Xiamen City began to have town-level administrative units.

In April 1957, Guankou District of Tong'an County was transferred to the jurisdiction of Xiamen City. On August 27, the Xiamen Municipal People's Committee Suburban Administrative Office was established as a dispatched organ of the Xiamen Municipal People's Committee, administering Heshan District and Guankou District. In the same year, Jinzhai and Jinshan townships, originally part of Jishan Li in Tong'an County, were transferred to Longxi County, Zhangzhou.

In January 1958, Heshan District and Guankou District were abolished, and their subordinate townships were directly administered by the Suburban Administrative Office. In October, Haicang and Xin'an townships from Haicheng County, Zhangzhou, were transferred to Xiamen City.

In October 1958, Tong'an County was transferred to Xiamen City. In December, the entire city was divided into one county and four districts.

In April 1964, Xinglin Town was added and, together with Xinglin Commune, placed under the jurisdiction of the suburban area.

In 1966, Siming District was renamed Xiangyang District, and Kaiyuan District was renamed Dongfeng District.

On September 14, 1968, the suburban area was formally established, with the Suburban Administrative Office restructured into the Suburban Revolutionary Committee.

In August 1970, Tong'an County was transferred to Jinjiang Prefecture, returning to Xiamen City in September 1973.

On October 1, 1979, Xiangyang District was renamed Siming District, and Dongfeng District was renamed Kaiyuan District.

In September 1978, Xinglin District was established, with Xinglin Commune from the suburban area transferred to its jurisdiction. By the time the Xiamen Special Economic Zone was established in 1980, Xiamen City's administrative area consisted of five districts—Siming, Kaiyuan, Gulangyu, suburban, and Xinglin—and also administered Tong'an County.

On October 7, 1980, the State Council of the People's Republic of China approved the establishment of one of the nation's first Special Economic Zones within a 2.5-square-kilometer area in Huli. On October 15, 1981, the Xiamen Special Economic Zone officially commenced construction. On May 4, 1984, the scope of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone was expanded to cover the entire Xiamen Island (including Gulangyu), implementing some free port policies.

In July 1987, Huli District was established. Heshan Township from the suburban area and its 11 village committees, Jiangtou neighborhood committee, and Huli Subdistrict from Kaiyuan District with its 7 neighborhood committees were placed under the leadership of Huli District. Huangcuo and Zengcuoan from Heshan Township in the suburban area were transferred to Siming District; Hecuo, Qianpu, Hongwen, Xilin, and Lianban were transferred to Kaiyuan District. The suburban area was renamed Jimei District.

On April 18, 1988, Xiamen was approved as a city specifically designated in the state plan. On February 25, 1994, Xiamen was designated as a sub-provincial city. On March 22, 1994, Xiamen obtained legislative power for its Special Economic Zone. On June 18, 2010, the Xiamen Special Economic Zone was expanded to cover the entire city.

In November 1996, Tong'an County was abolished, and Tong'an District was established.

In May 2003, Xiang'an District was carved out from the southeastern part of Tong'an District. Gulangyu District and Kaiyuan District were abolished, with their administrative areas transferred to Siming District. Xinglin District was renamed Haicang District.

3. Geography

3.1 Topography and Landforms

Xiamen is located near 118°04'04" east longitude and 24°26'46" north latitude. It is composed of Tong'an, Xiang'an, Jimei, Haicang, Xiamen Island, Gulangyu Island, and numerous smaller islands.

Xiamen Bay is situated in the southeastern part of Fujian Province, at the mouth of the Jiulong River. It is backed by the plains of Zhangzhou and Quanzhou, faces the Taiwan Strait, and features a long, winding coastline stretching 234 kilometers. The harbor is wide and deep, with minimal siltation, no freezing, and low winds, making it a superior natural harbor with strait characteristics. Since modern times, it has been a vital port for foreign trade along China's southeastern coast. Xiamen Port comprises multiple port areas and productive berths capable of accommodating the world's largest container ships. Currently, Xiamen Port ranks among China's major first-class ports and is within the top 13 container ports globally.

3.2 Climate

Xiamen has a subtropical monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature around 21°C. Summers are hot and rainy, while winters are mild and humid. | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual | |------------------|-------|------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------|-------|----------| | Record high °C | 28.4 | 28.4 | 29.6 | 33.6 | 35.4 | 36.1 | 39.2 | 39 | 35.4 | 36 | 31.4 | 27.9 | 39.2 | | Record high °F | 83.1 | 83.1 | 85.3 | 92.5 | 95.7 | 97 | 102.6 | 102.2 | 95.7 | 96.8 | 88.5 | 82.2 | 102.6 | | Average high °C | 17.3 | 17.5 | 19.5 | 23.5 | 27 | 29.7 | 32.2 | 32 | 30.4 | 27.5 | 23.8 | 19.4 | 25 | | Average high °F | 63.1 | 63.5 | 67.1 | 74.3 | 80.6 | 85.5 | 90 | 89.6 | 86.7 | 81.5 | 74.8 | 66.9 | 77 | | Daily mean °C | 12.8 | 13.1 | 15 | 19.1 | 22.9 | 26 | 28 | 27.8 | 26.3 | 23.2 | 19.3 | 14.9 | 20.7 | | Daily mean °F | 55 | 55.6 | 59 | 66.4 | 73.2 | 78.8 | 82.4 | 82 | 79.3 | 73.8 | 66.7 | 58.8 | 69.2 | | Average low °C | 10 | 10.4 | 12.1 | 16.2 | 20.3 | 23.5 | 25.2 | 25.1 | 23.6 | 20.5 | 16.5 | 12 | 18 | | Average low °F | 50 | 50.7 | 53.8 | 61.2 | 68.5 | 74.3 | 77.4 | 77.2 | 74.5 | 68.9 | 61.7 | 53.6 | 64.3 | | Record low °C | 2 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 6.4 | 12.2 | 16.3 | 20.7 | 21.4 | 16.7 | 13.3 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | | Record low °F | 35.6 | 36.7 | 36.5 | 43.5 | 54 | 61.3 | 69.3 | 70.5 | 62.1 | 55.9 | 45.5 | 34.7 | 34.7 | | Average precipitation mm | 35.1 | 83.1 | 111.6 | 147 | 171.7 | 198.8 | 129.5 | 207.1 | 148.6 | 42.6 | 29.3 | 28 | 1,332.40 | | Average precipitation inches | 1.38 | 3.27 | 4.39 | 5.79 | 6.76 | 7.83 | 5.1 | 8.15 | 5.85 | 1.68 | 1.15 | 1.1 | 52.45 | | Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 7.1 | 12 | 15.4 | 14.6 | 15.2 | 14.8 | 9.9 | 10.9 | 9 | 3.2 | 4 | 4.9 | 121 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 74 | 78 | 80 | 80 | 82 | 85 | 81 | 81 | 77 | 69 | 69 | 70 | 77 | | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 133.3 | 88.3 | 89.6 | 105.6 | 132.6 | 163.8 | 234.6 | 211.6 | 178.9 | 188.4 | 163 | 163.5 | 1,853.20 | | Percent possible sunshine | 40 | 28 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 40 | 56 | 53 | 49 | 52 | 50 | 50 | 42 |

3.3 Biological Distribution

Xiamen is home to rare species such as the lancelet, egret, and Chinese white dolphin. The city has established the Xiamen Rare Marine Species National Nature Reserve, covering an area of 33,088 hectares.

4. Administrative Divisions

In 2003, Xiamen adjusted its administrative divisions: Kaiyuan District and Gulangyu District (once the county-level administrative division with the smallest population and area in China) were merged into Siming District; Xinglin District was renamed Haicang District; Xinglin Subdistrict and Xinglin Town from the former Xinglin District were placed under Jimei District; and Xiang'an District was carved out from Tong'an District. Since then, there have been no major changes to the administrative divisions.

As of October 2023, Xiamen administers 6 districts: Tong'an District, Xiang'an District, Jimei District, Huli District, Siming District, and Haicang District. In total, there are 37 subdistricts, 8 towns, 398 communities, and 147 villages.

In addition to its formal administrative divisions, Xiamen has established the following economic management zones:

• China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone Xiamen Area, with a total area of 43.78 km²
  • Southeast International Shipping Center Haicang Port Area (Area: 24.41 km²; Boundaries: adjacent to the sea to the south, Xiamen West Sea Area to the east, Xiamen-Zhangzhou Cross-sea Bridge to the west, and bounded by Jiaosong Road, Nanhai Road, Nanhai 3rd Road, and Xingang Road to the north)
  • Cross-Strait Trade Center Core Area (Area: 19.37 km²; Boundaries: adjacent to the sea to the north, west, and east, and bounded by Shugang Road, Chenggong Avenue, and Fangzhong Road to the south)
• National-level Economic and Technological Development Zones
  • Xiamen Haicang Taiwanese Investment Zone
• Customs Special Supervision Areas
  • Xiamen Xiangyu Comprehensive Bonded Zone (formed by integrating and optimizing Xiamen Xiangyu Bonded Logistics Park and Xiamen Xiangyu Bonded Area)
  • Xiamen Haicang Port Comprehensive Bonded Zone (formed by integrating and optimizing Xiamen Haicang Bonded Port Area, including Xiamen Export Processing Zone)
• National-level High-tech Industrial Development Zone
  • Xiamen Torch High-tech Industrial Development Zone
• Other Types of National-level Development Zones
  • Xiamen Jimei Taiwanese Investment Zone
  • Xiamen Xinglin Taiwanese Investment Zone
• Provincial-level Economic Development Zones (Industrial Parks)
  • Xiamen Tong'an Industrial Park
  • Xiamen Marine High-tech Industrial Park (formerly Xiamen Xiang'an Industrial Park)

| Division Code | Division Name | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | |-------------------|-------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------| | 350200 | Xiamen City | 1,700.61 | 5,163,970 | Siming District | 361000 | 37 | 8 | | 350203 | Siming District | 84 | 1,073,315 | Xiagang Subdistrict | 361000 | 10 | | | 350205 | Haicang District | 186.82 | 582,519 | Songyu Subdistrict | 361000 | 4 | | | 350206 | Huli District | 73.98 | 1,036,974 | Heshan Subdistrict | 361000 | 5 | | | 350211 | Jimei District | 274.3 | 1,036,987 | Jimei Subdistrict | 361000 | 4 | 2 | | 350212 | Tong'an District | 669.36 | 855,920 | Xiangping Subdistrict | 361100 | 7 | 4 | | 350213 | Xiang'an District | 412.15 | 578,255 | Xindian Subdistrict | 361100 | 7 | 2 |

5. Economy

Xiamen's main industries include transportation, storage, and postal services; information transmission and information technology; commercial and trade services; convention and exhibition tourism; finance; machinery manufacturing; aviation maintenance; and electronics manufacturing. Xiamen is one of the world's largest LED chip production and packaging bases, and it hosts the world's largest large passenger vehicle production base and one of Asia's largest aviation maintenance bases. Furthermore, Xiamen serves as a demonstration zone for cross-strait cooperation in emerging industries and modern services, a southeastern international shipping center, a cross-strait trade center, and a cross-strait regional financial services center.

In 2023, preliminary calculations showed the city's annual regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 806.649 billion yuan, an increase of 3.1% over the previous year. Specifically, the added value of the primary industry was 2.773 billion yuan, a decrease of 4.0%; the added value of the secondary industry was 286.794 billion yuan, a decrease of 2.8%; and the added value of the tertiary industry was 517.081 billion yuan, an increase of 7.0%. The industrial structure of the three sectors was 0.3:35.6:64.1. The city's electricity consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP was 447.20 kilowatt-hours; water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP was 5.98 tons, a reduction of 0.1 tons compared to the previous year.

Xiamen ranks first in the province in terms of per capita GDP, GDP per unit area (economic density), and fiscal revenue, with its economic density ranking fifth nationwide.

6. Transportation

6.1 Highways

6.1.1 Expressways:

• G76 Xiamen-Chengdu Expressway: The Xiamen section is currently open to traffic.
• G15 Shenyang-Haikou Expressway passes through Xiamen City. It is divided into the Quanzhou-Xiamen Expressway and the Xiamen-Zhangzhou Expressway sections, with the boundary at the Xiamen and Jimei interchanges.
• G2517 Sha County-Xiamen Expressway (formerly provincial expressway S30) starts at Tiancuo, Jimei, Xiamen, and ends at Jikou, Sha County.
• G1523 Ningbo-Dongguan Expressway (formerly provincial expressway S35). Additionally, G1506 Xiamen Ring Expressway and G1534 Xiamen-Kinmen Expressway are currently in the planning stage.

6.1.2 Local Expressways:

• S11 Fuzhou-Xiamen Expressway
• S58 Jinjiang-Changtai Expressway
• S59 Tong'an-Zhaoyang Expressway

6.1.3 National Highways:

Xiamen City is the starting point of National Highway 319 (planned to be changed to Kaohsiung City in the future). Additionally, National Highways 228, 324, and 638 also pass through Xiamen City.

6.2 Railways

For more information: Xiamen Railway Station, Xiamen North Railway Station, Xiamen East Railway Station, Xiamen Gaoqi Railway Station, Xinglin Railway Station, Qianchang Railway Station, Haicang Railway Station, and Dongfu Railway Station. During the Qing Dynasty, the Zhangzhou-Xiamen Railway was built in Xiamen, which was the first railway in Fujian Province, but was later dismantled. In 1957, the Yingtan-Xiamen Railway opened to traffic. It was historically the second railway in Fujian and is the first railway still in use in Xiamen. For a long time, it was Xiamen's only railway. It originally extended to the area near the intersection of Minzu Road and Shoushan Road, close to the Lujiang River and Gulangyu Island, but was later shortened to the current Xiamen Railway Station.

Besides the Yingtan-Xiamen Railway, the Fuzhou-Xiamen Railway, Longyan-Xiamen Railway, and Xiamen-Shenzhen Railway, each designed for a speed of 250 km/h, were completed and opened on April 26, 2010, June 29, 2012, and December 28, 2013, respectively. The Fuzhou-Xiamen High-Speed Railway, designed for 350 km/h, was opened on September 28, 2023. This has formed a railway skeleton of "four main lines (Fuzhou-Xiamen, Xiamen-Shenzhen, Longyan-Xiamen, Yingtan-Xiamen) and two branch lines (Haicang Port Area Branch, Dongdu Port Area Branch)". Currently, efforts are being accelerated to advance the construction of the Xiamen-Shantou High-Speed Railway to open up the coastal high-speed railway corridor. Plans include adding the Xiamen-Chongqing High-Speed Railway and the Nanchang-Xiamen High-Speed Railway to open up high-speed railway channels from Xiamen to inland areas. Plans also include adding the Dongfu to Anxi Freight Railway (a branch of the Xingquan Railway) to enhance railway freight capacity. The Xiamen-Kinmen-Taiwan railway corridor is reserved under control.

6.3 Aviation

Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport is located at the northeast end of Xiamen Island, 10 kilometers from downtown Xiamen, and commenced operations in October 1983. The airport currently has one runway that is 3,400 meters long and 45 meters wide, one parallel taxiway that is 3,300 meters long, and seven connecting taxiways. The airport flight area is classified as 4E. The entire airport covers an area of 3 square kilometers, with an apron area of 250,000 square meters and a terminal building area of 149,000 square meters. After the trial operation of the T4 eastward apron expansion, the annual passenger handling capacity increased to 33 million. In 2019, Gaoqi Airport's passenger throughput reached 27.4134 million (the highest on record to date). In 2023, passenger throughput recovered to 24.104090 million, 88% of the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level. Additionally, Gaoqi Airport's cargo and mail throughput ranks 12th among domestic civil aviation airports, and its inbound/outbound passenger throughput ranks 6th. The site selection for Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport began in early 2007. On January 4, 2022, the new Xiamen airport commenced full-scale construction and is expected to be completed in 2025 and put into operation the following year. Xiamen Airlines, headquartered in Xiamen, is China's sixth-largest airline. Using Xiamen and Fuzhou as hubs, it operates over 260 routes connecting 60 domestic cities and 13 international cities. It operates 3,600 to 4,000 flights weekly, with approximately 1,200 to 1,300 flights to/from Xiamen. Additionally, Shandong Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Spring Airlines, Shanzhou Air Logistics, and SF Airlines have established base companies at Xiamen Airport.

6.4 Port

Xiamen Port is a natural deep-water harbor with a wide, deep channel that is ice-free, silt-free, and experiences low winds year-round. It is relatively close to the city center. It is one of China's major coastal ports, an important hub in China's comprehensive transportation system, a trunk line port for container transportation, a regional hub port in southeastern China, and a main port for cross-strait shipping with Taiwan. It has routes connecting to international and domestic destinations, and its container throughput ranks 13th in the world.

6.5 Urban Transportation

6.5.1 Urban Roads

Within the urban area, the renowned Wenzeng Road is Xiamen's first major traffic artery crossing the Wanshi Mountain National Scenic Area and the only mountain sightseeing road for vehicles. The Island Ring Road encircles the entire Xiamen Island. Chenggong Avenue and Island Ring Trunk Road run north-south across Xiamen Island. Xianyue Road runs east-west through the central part of Xiamen Island, and Fangzhong Road runs east-west through the north-central part of the island. Hubin East Road, Hubin West Road, Hubin South Road, Hubin North Road, and Hubin Middle Road encircle Yundang Lake.

6.5.2 Island Access Facilities

6.5.2.1 Highway Bridges and Tunnels

6.5.2.2 Rail Transit Bridges and Tunnels

In addition to the supporting construction of Xiamen Rail Transit for the Gaoji Seawall (Xiamen Rail Transit Line 1) and Jimei Bridge (Xiamen Rail Transit Line 10, currently BRT), Xiamen Rail Transit Line 2 (the first subway undersea tunnel in mainland China), Xiamen Rail Transit Line 3 (the third subway undersea tunnel in mainland China), Xiamen Rail Transit Line 5, Line 7, Line 8, Line 9, the Quanzhou-Xiamen-Zhangzhou Intercity Railway, and the Zhangzhou-Gangwei-Xiamen Intercity Railway all have planned island-access undersea railway tunnels. In the planning stage, there is the Xiamen-Zhangzhou Undersea Tunnel, a railway tunnel for the Zhangzhou-Gangwei-Xiamen Intercity Railway line connecting Zhangzhou Port and the southern part of Xiamen Island. However, due to various difficulties involving multiple parties, this plan has been revised repeatedly. Coupled with insufficient traffic on the Xiamen-Zhangzhou Bridge, it is widely believed in public opinion that this project will not commence in the short term.

6.5.3 Rail Transit

As of June 25, 2023, Xiamen has built a metro network with a total length of approximately 98.4 kilometers, consisting of three lines and 70 stations. According to the Xiamen City Master Plan and Comprehensive Transportation Plan, on August 8, 2022, the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning announced a draft for public comment regarding the "Xiamen City Urban Rail Transit Network Plan (2020-2035)": The long-term (2035) urban rail transit network plan for Xiamen consists of 12 lines with a total length of approximately 493 kilometers. This includes 7 regular lines (Lines 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11), about 297 km; 4 express lines (Lines 4, 5, 8, 9), about 186 km; and 1 orbital control line, about 10 km. The visionary plan adds 5 orbital control lines to the long-term network, increasing the scale by about 79 km, resulting in a total network scale of about 572 km. Furthermore, according to the approval by the National Development and Reform Commission for the Fujian Province West Coast of the Taiwan Strait Intercity Railway Construction Plan (2015-2020), the Quanzhou-Xiamen-Zhangzhou Intercity Railway and the Zhangzhou-Gangwei-Xiamen Intercity Railway (partially utilizing the reconstructed Gangwei Railway) will be constructed, with a total length of 263 kilometers.

7. Education

7.1 Higher Education Institutions

• Public Undergraduate Institutions: Xiamen University, Jimei University, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen Medical College, Huaqiao University Xiamen Campus, Fuzhou University Xiamen Academy of Arts and Design
• Private Undergraduate Institutions: Xiamen Institute of Technology, Xiamen Huaxia University
• Private Independent Undergraduate College: Chengyi College of Jimei University
• Public Vocational Colleges: Xiamen Ocean Vocational College, Xiamen City University, Fujian Sports Vocational and Technical College Xiamen Luqiao Marine Sports College (Secondary College)
• Private Vocational Colleges: Xiamen Huatian International Vocational College, Xiamen Software Vocational College, Xiamen Xingcai Vocational and Technical College, Xiamen Donghai Vocational and Technical College, Xiamen Security Technology Vocational College, Xiamen Performing Arts Vocational College, Xiamen Nanyang Vocational College
• Adult Higher Education Institutions: Xiamen Open University
• Research Institutes Recruiting Master's Students: Xiamen National Accounting Institute, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen Institute of Rare Earth Materials, Haixi Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen Southern Ocean Research Center, Xiamen Marine Seismology Institute, China Earthquake Administration, Xiamen Institute of Data Intelligence, Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Southern Technology Base, First Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security, Xiamen Base, Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences

7.2 Education for Foreign Nationals

• Higher Education Institutions: College of Chinese Language and Culture, Huaqiao University
• International Schools: Xiamen International School, Xiamen Minxia International School, Xiamen Changqing School for Children of Foreign Personnel

7.3 Secondary Education

• Fujian Province's First Batch of Demonstration Regular High Schools (2022): Xiamen Shuangshi High School, Xiamen No.1 High School, Xiamen Foreign Language School, Xiamen No.6 High School, Jimei High School
• Fujian Province's Second Batch of Demonstration Regular High Schools (2023): Tong'an No.1 High School, Xiamen No.2 High School (The Second Affiliated High School of Xiamen University)
• Fujian Province's Second Batch of Demonstration Regular High School Construction Schools (Unconfirmed): Xiamen University Affiliated Science and Technology High School, Xiamen Experimental High School
• Fujian Province First-Level Designated Senior High Schools: Xiamen Shuangshi High School, Xiamen No.1 High School, Xiamen Foreign Language School, Xiamen No.6 High School, Jimei High School, Tong'an No.1 High School, Xiamen No.2 High School (The Second Affiliated High School of Xiamen University), Xiamen University Affiliated Science and Technology High School, Xiamen Experimental High School, Xiamen Songbai High School, Xiamen Haicang Experimental High School, Xiamen Xiang'an No.1 High School, Xiamen Haicang High School, Xiamen Guankou High School, Xiamen Hubin High School, Xiamen No.3 High School, Xiamen Xingnan High School (Affiliated High School of Xiamen University of Technology), Xiamen No.2 Foreign Language School, Xiamen Tong'an Experimental High School, Xiamen No.10 High School (Jimei Affiliated High School of Huaqiao University)
• Fujian Province Second-Level Designated Senior High Schools: Xiamen Datong High School, Xiamen Le'an High School (Affiliated High School of Jimei University), Xiamen Wuxian High School, Xiamen Guoqi High School, Xiamen Xindian High School, Xiamen Neicuo High School, Xiamen Yingcai School
• Fujian Province Second-Level Designated Senior High Schools (High School Enrollment Stopped): Xiamen Heshan High School, Xiamen Overseas Chinese High School
• Fujian Province Third-Level Designated Senior High School: Xiamen Institute of Technology Affiliated School
• Senior High Schools Not Yet Graded: Xiamen Music School (Affiliated Music School of Xiamen University), Xiamen Cangjiang Senior High School, Xiamen Xihai Senior High School, Xiamen Xiang'an High School, Xiamen Jiuxi Senior High School, Kangqiao High School, Guomao Xiehe Bilingual Senior High School, Huarui Repton Senior High School, Huashi Xiping Bilingual Senior High School, Yangmei Hengyi Senior High School
• Secondary Vocational Schools: Xiamen Information School, Xiamen Industry Commerce and Tourism School, Jimei Industrial School, Xiamen Music School (Secondary Vocational Department), Gulangyu Piano School of the Central Conservatory of Music, Xiamen Sports School, Xiamen Art School, Xiamen Technician College (Xiamen Senior Technical School), Xiamen Xiang'an District Vocational and Technical School, Xiamen Tong'an Vocational and Technical School, Xiamen Haicang District Vocational Secondary School, Xiamen Tian'an Secondary Vocational School, Xiamen Jimei Vocational and Technical School, Xiamen Special Education School (Secondary Vocational Department), Xiamen Tong'an District Special Education School (Secondary Vocational Department), Xiamen Jimei District Special Education School (Secondary Vocational Department), Fujian Province Ludao Vocational and Technical School, Fujian Province Hongyuan Technical School, Fujian Province Chengyi Technical School, Xiamen Commerce and Trade Technical School, Xiamen Jinto Technical School

8. Population

In 2023, the city's permanent resident population was 5.327 million, with an urbanization rate of 90.81%. The city's birth rate was 7.15‰, the death rate was 3.95‰, and the natural population growth rate was 3.20‰, a decrease of 0.96 per thousand points compared to the previous year. The city's registered population was 3.0208 million, with an urbanization rate of 87.8%. Among the registered population, the urban population was 2.653 million. The combined population of Siming and Huli districts was 1.3582 million, accounting for 45.0% of the city's registered population. Among the registered population, the male and female populations were 1.4635 million and 1.5574 million, respectively, with a sex ratio of 93.97 (with females as 100).

According to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, the city's permanent resident population was 5,163,970, an increase of 1,632,623 people compared to the 3,531,347 people recorded in the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, representing a growth of 46.23% over the decade, with an average annual growth rate of 3.87%. The male population was 2,720,497, accounting for 52.68%; the female population was 2,443,473, accounting for 47.32%. The sex ratio of the permanent resident population (with females as 100, the ratio of males to females) was 111.34. The population aged 0–14 was 886,282, accounting for 17.16%; the population aged 15–59 was 3,784,109, accounting for 73.28%; the population aged 60 and above was 493,579, accounting for 9.56%, of which the population aged 65 and above was 318,513, accounting for 6.17%. The population with a university education (referring to college or higher) was 1,391,167; the population with a high school education (including technical secondary school) was 834,921; the population with a junior high school education was 1,436,517; the population with a primary school education was 961,559 (all of the above include graduates, dropouts, and current students of various types of schools). The population residing in urban areas was 4,617,251, accounting for 89.41%; the population residing in rural areas was 546,719, accounting for 10.59%.

8.1. Ethnic Groups

According to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census data, among the permanent resident population of Xiamen City, the Han population was 4,964,350, accounting for 96.13%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 199,620, accounting for 3.87%. Compared to the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the Han population increased by 1,515,467, a growth of 43.94%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 1.53 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 117,156, a growth of 142.07%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 1.53 percentage points.

9. Religion

The earliest religious history of Xiamen City can be traced back to the introduction of Buddhism into Tong'an County during the Sui Dynasty. Buddhist activities began on Xiamen Island during the Dazhong era of the Tang Dynasty (842–857 AD). Taoism, Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, and Islam were introduced into Tong'an County during the mid-Tang Dynasty, the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty, the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, and the mid-Qing Dynasty, respectively.

Compared to the five officially recognized religions in the People's Republic of China, folk beliefs are particularly flourishing in Xiamen. There are over two thousand registered folk belief temples (larger than 10 square meters) alone. The deities worshipped in Xiamen's folk belief temples are numerous but can be categorized into the following three types:

• The first category includes historical figures who made significant contributions to the people, such as the Kings of Min and Zhang, Wu Zhenren (the Realized Man Wu), Mazu, Qingshui Zushi (the Patriarch of Clear Water), and Sanping Zushi (the Patriarch of Sanping).
• The second category involves the worship of "Wangye" (Lords), which has characteristics of appeasing vengeful spirits, such as "Lord of a Certain Mansion" or "General of a Certain Name."
• The third category consists of deities that have been secularized and are worshipped by Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, such as Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Jade Emperor, and Guan Gong.

9.1 Confucianism

• Tong'an Confucian Temple: Located within the old Tong'an county town. Its initial construction dates back to the Five Dynasties period (902–979 AD). It was relocated to its current site in the 10th year of the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1140 AD). Zhu Xi oversaw its expansion in the 23rd year of Shaoxing (1153 AD). It was destroyed in the 14th year of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1354 AD), rebuilt in the 9th year of the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1444 AD), and the Dacheng Hall and Ji Gate were reconstructed in the 32nd year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1767 AD).

9.2 Buddhism

• Siming District: Nanputuo Temple (houses the Minnan Buddhist College), Zizhulin Temple, Huayan Temple, Jinming Temple, Hongshan Temple, Wanshi Lian Temple, Taipingyan Temple, Huxiyan Temple, Zhongyan Temple, Yundingyan (on Hongji Mountain), Yinyue Temple, Nengren Temple, Yanshou Temple, Mituo Temple, Jinglian Temple, Ganlu Temple, Dingshi Temple, Bishanyan Temple, Daguan Temple, Tianjie Temple, Riguangyan Temple, Qingfu Temple, Qiming Temple, Puguang Temple, Miaoqing Temple, Bailudong Temple, Neiwu Temple, Miaofalin
• Huli District: Juexing Temple, Tianzhuyan Temple, Guanyin Temple, Xuefeng Temple
• Jimei District: Daming Temple, Xizhu Temple
• Haicang District: Shishi Chan Temple, Shifengyan Temple, Zhenji Temple, Yunta Temple, Fosheng Temple
• Tong'an District: Fantian Chan Temple: Located at the foot of Dalun Mountain on the northeastern side of the old Tong'an county town, it is one of the oldest temples in Fujian. The temple complex includes Wenshan Dougongyan Temple, Meishan Temple, Gonglian Ancient Temple, Foxin Temple, Foguo Temple (on Miaogao Mountain), Tongboyan, Nanyang Bao'en Temple, and a Brahmanic Pagoda.
• Xiang'an District: Zhunti Temple, Putuoyan Temple (Lion Rock), Qingju Hall

9.3 Taoism

• Qingjiao Ciji Palace: Along with Baijiao Ciji Palace, it is considered the ancestral temple for temples dedicated to Baosheng Dadi (the Great Emperor Who Protects Life) in various regions.
• Maxiang Yuanwei Palace: Commonly known as "Chi Wang Gong," it primarily enshrines Lord Chi.
• Yintong Tianhou Palace
• Xinjiang Zhengshun Palace
• Dongshan Ancient Temple

9.4 Catholicism

• Gulangyu Catholic Church
• Xiamen Catholic Church

9.5 Protestant Christianity

• Siming District: Xinjie Church (the first Christian church in mainland China built for Chinese worshippers, known as the "First Holy Church in China"), Zhushu Church, Sanyi Church, Xiagang Church, Xiaxi Church, Fuxing Church, Zengcuoan Church, Dongbu Church (under construction), Lianqian Activity Point, Guan'ai Activity Point, Jishan Road Activity Point, etc. (11 locations in total)
• Huli District: Xinqu Church, Zhaishang Church, Zhongzhai Activity Point, Nanshan Road Activity Point, etc. (4 locations in total)
• Jimei District: Gaopu Church, Guankou Church, Yingdaitou Church, Houxi Church, Jimei Church, Jinyuan Activity Point, Xingbei Road Activity Point, etc. (7 locations in total)
• Haicang District: Haicang Church, Dongyu Church, Xin'an Church, Yunmei Activity Point, etc. (4 locations in total)
• Tong'an District: Houhe Church, Shuangzhentou Church, Houlu Activity Point, Duqiao Church, Tangbian Church, Nanshan Church, Pantu Church, Hongtangtou Church, Hujing Church, Guanxun Church, Daitou Church, etc. (11 locations in total)
• Xiang'an District: Maxiang Church, Chengchang Church, Lianhe Church, Tongmei Church, Liuwudian Church, Xinxu Church, Guzhai Activity Point, Dadeng Activity Point, etc. (8 locations in total)

9.6 Islam

• Xiamen Mosque

10. Culture

Sixteen intangible cultural heritage items of Xiamen have been included in the National Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. These are: Nanyin (jointly declared with Quanzhou City, inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on September 30, 2009), the Wangchuan ceremony (jointly declared with Malaysia, inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 17, 2020), Gaojia Opera (jointly declared with Quanzhou City), Gezai Opera (jointly declared with Zhangzhou City), Dazuigu (comic dialogue), Xiamen Lacquer Thread Carving Craft, Southern Fujian Children's Rhymes, the Mid-Autumn Festival Gambling Game, Xiamen Bead Embroidery, Fujian Incense Making Craft (jointly declared with Yongchun County, Quanzhou City), Storytelling in Siming District, the Yanping Junwang Belief and Customs, the Baosheng Dadi Belief and Customs in Haicang District, Haicang Centipede Pavilions, Southern Fujian Traditional Residential Construction Craft in Huli District (jointly declared with Licheng District, Hui'an County, and Nan'an City of Quanzhou), and Shadow Carving. Xiamen has seven national first-class cultural centers: Xiamen Cultural Center (Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center), Siming District Cultural Center, Haicang District Cultural Center, Huli District Cultural Center, Jimei District Cultural Center, Tong'an District Cultural Center, and Xiang'an District Cultural Center.

There are two national first-class museums: Overseas Chinese Museum and Xiamen Museum; and one national third-class museum: Xiamen Olympic Museum.

There are ten national first-class libraries: Xiamen Library, Xiamen Children's Library, Jimei Library, Xiang'an District Library, Tong'an District Library, Haicang District Library, Siming District Library, Huli District Library, Tong'an District Children's Library, and Jimei District Children's Library.

There is one site among the first batch of Chinese Historical and Cultural Blocks: Gulangyu Historical and Cultural Block; on July 8, 2017, "Gulangyu: International Historic Settlement" was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

10.1 Language

The main dialects in Xiamen are Xiamen dialect, Quanzhou dialect, and Zhangzhou dialect, belonging to the Quanzhang subgroup of the Southern Min branch of the Min language family. Xiamen Island primarily uses the Xiamen dialect (a Quanzhang blend). The southeastern part of Haicang District uses the Haicheng accent (a sub-dialect of Zhangzhou dialect), while Tong'an District and Xiang'an District use the Tong'an accent (a sub-dialect of Quanzhou dialect). The Xiamen dialect is highly similar to the dominant accent of Taiwanese Hokkien and Southeast Asian Hokkien. Since the opening of the five treaty ports, due to Xiamen's economic dominance in Southern Fujian, the Xiamen dialect has gradually replaced the Quanzhou dialect to become the representative dialect of the Quanzhang subgroup of Southern Min in the Southern Fujian region.

10.2 Cuisine

Xiamen's traditional cuisine is a branch of Southern Fujian cuisine, influenced by Taiwanese and Southeast Asian cuisines, featuring a large number of distinctive street foods made from seafood.

Tusundong (Sea Worm Jelly): A gelatinous snack made from a type of marine sipunculid worm. It is crystal clear, tender, crisp, and smooth.

Shamian (Satay Noodles): A street noodle dish with a spicy satay flavor. The satay sauce is made from over ten ingredients including dried shrimp, dried fish, shallots, garlic, and old ginger.

Oyster Omelette: Fresh oysters, sweet potato starch, and eggs are mixed evenly, then a large spoonful of soy sauce is added, and the mixture is pan-fried with shallow oil until crispy. It has a crispy texture with a smooth, flavorful filling.

Mianxianhu (Thread Noodle Paste): The main ingredients for making Mianxianhu are thread noodles, congealed pork blood, scallion oil, and seafood. This dish is typically eaten for breakfast, can be enjoyed as a snack or late-night meal, and is often paired with fried dough sticks or horseshoe pastries. It tastes delicious, mildly sweet, and refreshingly smooth, embodying the local flavor of Southern Fujian.

Yubao (Taro Dumpling): Betel nut taro is peeled, washed, and mashed into raw taro paste. A small amount of starch and salt are mixed in evenly. The inside of a bowl is coated with oil, and pre-prepared fillings such as sliced or shredded pork, shrimp, mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts are placed inside. This is then covered with a layer of taro paste. The bowl is gently inverted to remove the dumpling, which is then steamed in a steamer.

Tong'an Fengrou (Sealed Pork): A traditional famous dish of Tong'an, consisting of braised pork, mushrooms, lotus seeds, shrimp, and other seasonings. It is served covered and only uncovered at the table, hence the name "Sealed Pork."

Giangmud Ya (Ginger Duck): The main ingredients are local muscovy duck and old ginger. It is nourishing but not greasy, warming but not drying.

Wuxiangtiao (Five-Spice Rolls): A special bean curd skin is wrapped around minced lean meat, water chestnuts, scallions, etc., forming a spring roll-like shape. It is then deep-fried until golden brown, cut into several pieces, and eaten with dipping sauce. It is wonderfully fragrant, crispy, and fresh.

Shaorouzong (Braised Pork Zongzi): The pork zongzi is made with ingredients like mushrooms, shrimp, dried oysters, chestnuts, pork, glutinous rice, and quail eggs. It tastes sweet and savory, is moist but not greasy, and has a shiny red-yellow color.

10.3 Cultural and Artistic Groups

• Xiamen Jinliansheng Gaojia Opera Troupe: An established troupe founded in 1931, renowned in Southern Fujian and Southeast Asian Chinese communities.
• Xiamen Nanyin Troupe
• Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra: China's first full-time symphony orchestra with a "privately run, publicly assisted" model. Founded in 1998 by the renowned female conductor Zheng Xiaoying, it is currently the most influential orchestra in southeastern China.
• Xiamen Music School Symphony Orchestra, Xian Xinghai
• Xiamen Youth Chinese Orchestra
• Xiamen Little Egret Folk Song and Dance Troupe: China's first folk dance performance group.
• Xiamen Song and Dance Theatre Symphony Orchestra
• Xiamen Jimei Nanyin Society
• Xiamen Wushipu, Haicang Oil Painting Association
• Xiamen Lutang Folk Opera School

10.4 Cultural and Artistic Venues

• Straits Grand Theatre
• Minnan Grand Theatre
• Jiageng Theatre
• Cangjiang Theatre
• Hongtai Concert Hall
• Gulangyu Concert Hall
• China Piano Music Hall (formerly Xiamen International Conference Center Concert Hall)
• Wuyuan Music Hall
• Yili Philharmonic Hall
• Minnan Opera Art Center
• Xiamen Zhongshan Nanyin Pavilion
• Xiamen Culture and Art Center
• Xiamen Chinese Opera Grand View Garden
• Huayi Brothers Film Center

12. Sister Cities

As of June 2019, Xiamen has established sister city relationships with the following domestic cities.

Handan City, Anshan City, Putuo District of Shanghai City, Ji'an City, Zibo City, Hanzhong City, Anyang City, Fushun City, Jilin City, Qingdao City, Dandong City Harbin City, Nanjing City, Xianyang City, Longyan City, Sanming City, Wanzhou District of Chongqing City, Baoding City, Taiyuan City, Weifang City, Pingdingshan City, Yingtan City Wuhu City, Jixi City, Changsha City, Shaoshan City, Anqing City, Dalian City, Wenzhou City, Shenyang City, Lanzhou City, Chaozhou City, Guang'an City

As of August 19, 2024, Xiamen (including its municipal districts) has established 23 pairs of international sister city relationships and 19 pairs of international friendly exchange city relationships with 34 countries. | International Sister Cities | Date Established | Signing Location | |------------------------|----------|--------| | Cardiff City (Wales, United Kingdom) | 3/31/83 | Xiamen City | | Sasebo City (Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan) | 10/28/83 | Sasebo City | | Cebu City (Cebu Province, Philippines) | 10/26/84 | Cebu City | | Baltimore City (Maryland, United States) | 11/7/85 | Xiamen City | | Wellington City (New Zealand) | 6/23/87 | Wellington City | | Penang Island City (Penang State, Malaysia) | 11/10/93 | Penang Island City | | Sunshine Coast City (Queensland, Australia) | 9/28/99 | Xiamen City | | Kaunas City (Kaunas County, Lithuania) | 3/11/01 | | | Guadalajara City (Jalisco State, Mexico) | 8/15/03 | Guadalajara City | | Zoetermeer City (South Holland Province, Netherlands) | 7/14/05 | Zoetermeer City | | Surabaya City (East Java Province, Indonesia) | 6/23/06 | Surabaya City | | Mokpo City (South Jeolla Province, South Korea) | 7/25/07 | Mokpo City | | Sarasota City (Florida, United States) (Sister City of Siming District) | 11/9/07 | Sarasota City | | Marathon City (East Attica Region, Greece) | 1/2/09 | Xiamen City | | Trier City (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) | 11/11/10 | Trier City | | Richmond City (British Columbia, Canada) | 4/27/12 | Xiamen City | | Dushanbe City (Tajikistan) | 6/20/13 | Dushanbe City | | Nice City (Alpes-Maritimes Department, France) | 5/22/14 | Xiamen City | | Phuket Province (Thailand) | 5/11/17 | | | Izmir City (Izmir Province, Turkey) | 1/18/18 | Izmir City | | Netanya City (Central District, Israel) | 1/18/22 | Online | | Fortaleza City (Ceará State, Brazil) | 5/12/23 | Fortaleza City | | Durban City (KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa) | 9/19/23 | Durban City |

| International Friendly Exchange Cities | Date Established | |-----------------------|----------| | Ginowan City (Japan) | 11/20/95 | | Pyeongtaek City (South Korea) | 8/27/02 | | Gwangyang City (South Korea) | 11/22/07 | | Las Palmas City (Spain) | 7/18/08 | | Miami City (United States) | 11/12/10 | | Słupsk City (Poland) | 9/8/11 | | Selangor State (including Klang City) (Malaysia) | 10/18/11 | | Markham City (Canada) | 7/22/12 | | Vladivostok City (Russia) | 4/23/13 | | Foz do Iguaçu City (Paraná State, Brazil) | 9/11/13 | | Nava City (Estonia) (Friendly Exchange City of Tong'an District) | 10/20/15 | | Pécs City (Hungary) (Friendly Exchange City of Haicang District) | 5/25/17 | | Santiago Metropolitan Region (Chile) | 4/6/22 | | Abidjan Autonomous District (Côte d'Ivoire) | 7/25/22 | | Metapán City (Santa Ana Department, El Salvador) | 7/26/23 | | Bishkek City (Kyrgyzstan) | 9/9/23 | | Belgrade City (Serbia) | 5/13/24 | | Champasak Province (Laos) | 8/16/23 | | Sihanoukville Province (Cambodia) | 8/19/24 |

| International Sister Ports | Date Established | |------------|----------| | Port of Baltimore, United States | 3/1/02 | | Port of Duisburg, Germany | 4/29/04 | | Port of Ilyichevsk, Ukraine | 1/26/05 | | Port of Las Palmas, Spain | 3/25/05 | | New Port of Mokpo, South Korea | 9/6/06 | | Port of Pyeongtaek, South Korea | 9/10/08 | | Port of Gwangyang, South Korea | 12/10/08 | | Port Everglades, United States | 9/20/07 | | Port of Zeebrugge, Belgium | 9/18/12 | | Port Klang, Malaysia | 10/28/15 | | Port of Miami, United States | 8/29/16 | | Port of Cork, Ireland | 7/17/17 | | Port of Flinders, Australia | 7/22/17 | | Port of San Antonio, Chile | 3/1/19 | | Port of Busan, South Korea | 8/20/19 | | Port of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire | 2022 | | Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand | 3/2/23 | | Port of Singapore, Singapore | 8/1/23 | | Port of Long Beach, United States | 6/12/24 |

International Friendly Cooperation Ports: Port of Penang (Malaysia), Port of Amsterdam (Netherlands), Port of Buenos Aires (Argentina), CentrePort Wellington (New Zealand), Port of Ventspils (Latvia), Port of Barcelona (Spain), Port of Virginia (United States), Port of Taranto (Italy), Port of Ancona (Italy), Port of Trieste (Italy), Port of Izmir (Turkey).

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11. 名人

厦门市作为中国东南沿海的重要港口，自唐宋以来便孕育、聚集了不少著名人物：

其中，出生、生长在厦门地区的名人有：北宋宰执与通才苏颂、“开台王”颜思齐、清朝抗英名将陈化成、华侨领袖陈嘉庚与庄希泉、近代中国体育界的代表人物马约翰、汉语拼音文字运动的先驱卢戆章、中国现代妇产科学的奠基人林巧雅、中国病毒学奠基人黄祯祥、著名钢琴演奏家殷承宗、中国天文学家余青松、中国科学院院长卢嘉锡、中国科学院院长方毅、著名先锋艺术家黄永砯等。

仅出生在厦门地区的名人有：荣获诺贝尔物理奖的美国物理学家沃尔特·布拉顿、历史学家许倬云等。

籍贯、原籍或祖籍在厦门地区的名人有：晚清著名国学大师辜鸿铭、中华民国总理颜惠庆、著名防疫专家钟南山、首位奥斯卡华裔影后杨紫琼、东南亚巨富黄仲涵、著名诗人汪国真、兴中会首任会长杨衢云等。

生长在厦门地区的名人有：朦胧诗派代表人物舒婷、开国上将叶飞、清末女革命家秋瑾、中国近代音乐史上重要的作曲家江文也等。

曾经在厦门地区求学、工作或寓居的名人有：厦门岛最早的开拓者之一与福建第一个进士薛令之、程朱理学的集大成者朱熹、收复台湾、开拓厦门的抗清名将郑成功、中国近代文学的代表作家鲁迅、中华民国总统蒋中正、中国历史地理学的重要开创者顾颉刚、中国人类学的重要开创者林惠祥、中国细胞生物学的重要开创者汪德耀、中国电化学的重要开创者田昭武、马克思主义经济学家王亚南、研究哥德巴赫猜想的著名数学家陈景润、香港总督麦理浩、中国近代著名作家林语堂、中国近代艺术先驱李叔同、文革时期中共的“五号人物”陈伯达、文革时期中共的“四号人物”陶铸、最早的华人物理学诺奖得主之一杨振宁、提出陈氏定理的著名数学家陈景润、台湾著名诗人余光中、中共中央总书记习近平、著名画家黄永玉等。

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No. 61 Hubin North Road, Siming District

Siming District

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Flame tree

Bougainvillea