I. Introduction
Siming District is the central urban area of Xiamen City and the location of the municipal administrative center. With a total coverage area of 84 square kilometers, Siming District now houses a permanent population of 1.0660 million. It governs 10 sub-districts and 98 communities. Ranked 24th on the "2023 CCID Top 100 Districts" list, it holds the top position in the province and has consistently ranked first in Fujian Province’s "Top Ten Urban Districts for Development" in 2021 and 2022. Siming District is also the main venue for significant events such as the BRICS Xiamen Summit, the Golden Rooster Film Festival, and the China International Fair for Investment and Trade.
Siming District, as the birthplace of Xiamen, boasts a rich cultural and historical heritage. It is home to famous cultural and tourist resources such as Gulangyu, Xiamen University, and Nanputuo Temple. "Gulangyu: Historical International Settlement" is listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, and the folk activity "Wangchuan Ceremony" is included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Siming District has a strong comprehensive strength. The district’s four main industries—finance, commerce, software information, and cultural tourism—are thriving. It features high-end business parks such as Guanyinshan International Business Center and Software Park Phase I and II. The district has cultivated three of China’s top 100 Internet companies, including 4399 and G-bits, and is home to 236 headquarters enterprises, including ANTA. There are also 48 enterprises with tax revenues exceeding 100 million yuan.
Siming District exhibits significant reform vitality. It has been recognized for its "Financial and Judicial Collaboration Platform to Promote High-Quality Development" and the "Innovative Gulangyu Protection and Heritage Model, Bringing Cultural Heritage to Life," which represented Xiamen and won national reform awards in 2020 and 2022. Its innovative "Digital and Physical Integration" mechanism was selected for the Provincial Deep Reform Committee's "One County, One Specialty" special reform initiative.
Siming District provides an excellent quality of life for its residents. The per capita GDP of permanent residents in Siming District has exceeded 200,000 yuan, reaching the level of moderately developed countries. The district has been awarded the title of National Pilot District for High-Quality and Equitable Compulsory Education and is one of the first "Education Strong Districts" in Fujian Province. The primary health indicators of the population have reached the mid-to-high levels of developed countries.
Siming District topped in 2023 a GDP of 273 billion yuan that accounted for about 1/3 of the city’s total, and a total fiscal revenue of 41 billion yuan, stabilizing its first rank among the counties and districts in Fujian Province for 8 consecutive years.
II. Industrial Development
To promote the high-end, intelligent, and clustered development of industries in Siming District, a modern industrial system is being built to continuously enhance development potential, striving to create a competitive hub for modern service industries and high-tech industries in the region. In accordance with the work plans of the CPC Xiamen Municipal Committee and the Municipal Government, and based on the industrial foundation, development trends, and the "14th Five-Year Plan” industrial development tasks of Siming District, there is a precise alignment with the city's “4+4+6" modern industrial system. The focus is on developing the "3+1" leading industries: electronic information (software information services, co-developed with Torch High-Tech Zone), financial services, commercial trade and logistics (trade services), and cultural tourism and creativity.
（Ⅰ）headquarters economy
Siming District has become a business development cluster in Xiamen, offering a complete set of specialized services for headquarters economy. Such mature business districts as Guanyinshan Area, Lujiang Road Area and Exhibition North Area have taken shape, with 236 headquarters enterprises and 169 completed commercial buildings. It is home to nearly half of the city's listed companies, and Xiamen branches of most of Fortune Global 500 and the world's "Big Four" accounting firms.
Star enterprises: ANTA Group, Tiktok Group, Meituan R&D Headquarters, Essilor France, UBTECH Global Operations Headquarters, Yuan Qi Sen Lin Global Settlement Center, etc.
(II) Software information service
As the main venue for the development of Xiamen's software information industry,which accounts for over 70% of the city’s scale. The number of software information enterprises above designated size in Siming District has topped 255 in 2023, with a revenue of 46.3 billion yuan. There are a number of strong and competitive enterprises nurtured,2023年，two companies from Siming District were selected for the "2023 Top 100 Comprehensive Competitiveness in Software and Information Technology Services," representing 100% of the city's selections. Three companies were included in the Top 100 Chinese Internet Companies, also accounting for 100% of the city's selections. Twenty-one companies were listed in the "2023 Top 50 Internet Comprehensive Strength in Fujian Province," making up nearly 70% of the city's total and half of the province's total. Fifteen companies were rated among the "2023 Top 50 Comprehensive Competitiveness in Software and Information Technology Services in Fujian Province," accounting for 30%.
Star enterprises: G-bits,4399.com, YLZ,Meiya Pico,Meitu, Zhonglian Century、Reconova,、DataExa , etc.
（Ⅲ）Financial Industry
Siming District tops all districts in the city in terms of density of financial institutions and level of financial industry development. More than 90% of the headquarters of banks above the branch level, all insurance institutions and nearly 85% of securities brokerages of Xiamen are located in Siming District.
In 2023, the added value of the district’s finance and insurance industry reached 63.102 billion yuan. It has formed a diversified financial service system with banking as the leading industry, complemented by securities, futures, insurance, trust and other financial supporting industries, which is relatively complete in function and robust in operation.
Star enterprises: Ruida Futures, JINYUAN PRESIDENT SECURITIES , 君龙人寿、 Sequoia Capital, Hillhouse Capital,Challenjers Capital, etc.
(Ⅳ)Commercial and Trade Industry
There are 28 shopping centers here, and Zhongshan Road is listed as a national pilot high-grade pedestrian street. Emerging industry models such as live e-commerce are also flourishing.
Siming District is the urban area with the most prosperous commerce industry in Xiamen,There are 28 shopping centers here, Zhongshan Road was awarded the title of "National Demonstration Pedestrian Street" in the third batch of selections. Emerging industry models such as live e-commerce are also flourishing.In 2023, Siming District achieved a wholesale and retail sales volume of 1.2075 trillion yuan (surpassing one trillion yuan for three consecutive years), accounting for 30.5% of the city's total. The total retail sales of consumer goods reached 108.02 billion yuan, representing 39.4% of the city's total. The district has 138 commercial enterprises with sales exceeding 1 billion yuan.
Star enterprises: C&D, ITG,ANTA, Justsun, PUPU, Sungiven Foods, etc.
（V）Cultural Tourism and Creativity
Siming District is home to the city’s 41.75% of cultural enterprises above designated size, totaling 281, which yielded a revenue of 89.9 billion yuan in January September 2023, up 60.75%. Moreover, there are 12 provincial-level demonstration bases of cultural industry, 40 key cultural enterprises at or above the municipal level, including 16 at or above the provincial level, 5 major cultural and creative parks.
Siming District is dotted heavily with tourist attractions and scenic spots and historic sites, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in China. It has also been awarded the demonstration area for all-for-one ecological tourism in Fujian Province. Siming District leads the city in the number of A-level scenic spots, currently home to the national 5A tourist attractions Gulangyu and the Botanical Garden, the 4A tourist attraction Hulishan Fortress, the 3A tourist attraction Olympic Museum, and the 2A tourist attraction Jiahe Liangku. In 2023, Siming District was successfully awarded the "2022 National Sports Industry Demonstration Base" and recognized as one of the "Top Ten Destinations for Chinese Sports Tourism Boutique Projects in 2023.”In 2023, Siming received 56,704,400 domestic and international tourist trips and achieved a total tourism revenue of 86.017 billion yuan.
Star enterprises:Toutiao, 4399.com, Meitu, DianChu Technolocy, CMC-Live, HengYe Pictures, HuaCe Group, Topsight Cultural Art development Group Co.,Ltd., etc.
III .Space for investment promotion
(I) Key areas for investment promotion
In accordance with the principles of overall planning, functional zoning, distinguishing features and coordinated development, Siming District has been strongly pursuing the spatial orientation of "great enhancement on the island". Efforts have been made to advance industry-city integration, make a further optimized functional layout of the urban area, vigorously decentralize the non-core functions of the central urban area, and introduce high-end industries and factor resources, so as to build a spatial layout of industrial development featuring "two poles, two belts, two areas, and multiple parks" with high industrial capacity and high functional quality.
Two poles:
1. Binbei Super Headquarters Base
Located in the core area of Xiamen Island and on the north bank of Yundang Lake, this project is an important initiative to implement the strategy of "great enhancement on the island" and an important carrier to accelerate the spatial layout of "one base, multiple centers" for the headquarters economy. It is planned to build a super corporate headquarters or regional headquarters base, and create an international central business activity zone equipped with complete high-end business facilities and a leading regional intelligent network in an ecologically pleasing area near the lake and mountains. It has an overall urban design range of 3 sq.km and an urban design scope of 90 hectares for key areas.
2. Kaiyuan International Science and Innovation City
Lying by the mountains in the core urban area in the southeast of Xiamen Island, this project looks across the sea from Jinmen and is adjacent to Xiamen International Convention & Exhibition Center, the main venue to host the BRICS Summit and the Golden Rooster Awards. The area has a total coverage area of about 312 hectares.Siming District aims to become a pilot area for policy and mechanism innovation, a demonstration zone for independent innovation, a new highland for top talent gathering, an industrial community with deep integration of industry, city, and people, and an eco-innovation city for green development. The focus will be on attracting core industries of the digital economy, forward-looking industries such as the metaverse, integrative industries like new infrastructure construction and new applications, and distinctive industries such as animation and games, digital finance, new consumption, and film and television technology.
Two belts:
1. Commerce and Trade Economic Belt
Building on the accessible and convenient transit network consisting of Metro Lines 1 and 2 and BRT, this economic belt runs along Xiahe Road, and turns to Lianqian West Road and Lianqian East Road, connecting the three major business circles of Zhongshan Road, Railway Station and Exhibition, bridging the two major business districts of East and West, and boosting the development of the commercial streets of Hexiang East Road, Hexiang West Road and Hubin South Road. It is mainly engaged in modern service industries such as commercial services, cultural creativity and leisure tourism. It has a total length of about 12 km.
2. Cultural Tourism Economic Belt
This economic belt stretches from Lujiang Road and runs along the Island Ring Boulevard to Guanyin Mountain International Business Center, linking Kulangsu Island, Xiamen University, Zengcuoan, Huangcuo and Guanyin Mountain. With Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center and high-end hotels along the Island Ring Boulevard as carriers, international conference and exhibition tourism business is carried out. It has a total length of about 20 km.
Two areas:
1. Cross-strait Financial Central Area (Siming Area)
It mainly consists of Guanyin Mountain Area, Exhibition North Area, Software Park, Kaiyuan Industrial Park, etc. With "Internet +" as the engine and innovative finance and headquarters economy as the core functions, it focuses on developing finance and headquarters economy to create a high-end CBD with a total coverage area of about 8.6 sq.km.
2. Lujiang Road Business District
Stretching from Xiahe Road to Xiamen University with Lujiang Road as the core, it is mainly composed of three large areas, namely Lujiang, Zhonghua and Xiagang, and focuses on the development of headquarters economy, modern commerce and professional services to create a mature CBD with a total coverage area of about 2.5 sq.km.
Multiple parks:
1. Xiamen Software Park Phase I
This project is a national first-class software park in China with a total coverage area of about 98,000 sqm and a gross floor area of 339,000 sqm. It is equipped with complete hardware and business supporting facilities.
2. Xiamen Software Park Phase II
This project is a national first-class software park in China and the core area of software and information service industry in Xiamen. With a coverage area of about 1 sq.km and a gross floor area of 1,640,000 sqm, it boasts a full-fledged infrastructure service platform and industrial development service platform
3. Longshan Cultural and Creative Industrial Park
The Cross-Strait Longshan Cultural and Creative Industrial Park is located in the geometric center of Xiamen Island, with a total planning area of 540,000 sqm. It was awarded as the National Demonstration Base for Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation in 2020. Centering on cross-strait exchanges and development, the park focuses on building relevant industries and upstream and downstream industrial chains in the fields of science and technology and culture.
Other investment promotion areas:
Xiamen International Business Core Area A1 Plot Project
Located at the northeast intersection of Lüling Road and Jinianguan Road in Siming District, Xiamen, and situated at the northwest corner of the intersection of Lüling Road and Huandao Road, south of Hecuo Village, the A1 Plot was officially listed for sale on August 15, 2023. The project covers a total land area of 65,000 square meters, with an underground area of 82,000 square meters and a total construction area of approximately 624,000 square meters. The total floor area included in the capacity is about 419,600 square meters, consisting of approximately 372,000 square meters of office space, 35,000 square meters of hotel space, and 11,600 square meters of above-ground commercial space. The construction includes five super high-rise office buildings, an overall underground basement for the plot, a hotel, street-style commercial areas, childcare institutions, a ring station, a bus terminal, urban roads, and plaza spaces.
2. Guanyin Mountain International Business Operation Center
It is located in the east of Xiamen Island and in the core area of Xiamen Cross-strait Regional Financial Center. It has a total coverage area of 1,340,000 sqm and is divided into four functional areas: business operation area, supporting living area, mountain park area, and seaside tourism and leisure area. There are 61 hectares of land for commercial and financial construction, planned to build 56 mid-and high-grade office buildings with a gross floor area of 2,119,000 sqm; 1,048,000 sqm of land for residential construction; and 78,000 sqm of land for schools and other supporting facilities.
3. Shapowei Area
The first round of organic renewal in Shapowei, initiated in 2015, has achieved significant results and has been praised by international media as "a diverse living museum combining tradition and modernity with the charm of a fishing port.” In 2020, a second round of organic renewal for the Xiagang (Shapowei) area was launched under the principle of "organic renewal and reasonable transformation," with the first phase focusing on the western Shapowei area (covering about 60,000 square meters). This project, integrated with the construction of the southern extension of Metro Line 3’s Xiagang section, aims to transform Xiagang (Shapowei) into a high-appeal cultural district that embodies the essence and charm of Xiamen, featuring the local vibrant life of a fishing port. The area will be divided into three main functional zones: "Fishing Port Cultural Experience," "Coastal Art Plaza," and "Youth International Community," incorporating various elements such as a dry dock museum, fishermen’s wharf, coastal market, multi-level "fishing village,” cultural and creative industries, and shared office spaces, providing multifunctional public composite spaces. Currently, the conceptual planning for the Xiagang area is underway, with the planning scope extending north to Shoushan Road, east to the ecological control line of Hongshan and Wanshishan, south to Xiamen University, and west to Yanwu Bridge, covering a total area of approximately 128 hectares.
4. Dongping Mountain Area
Located in the core area of Siming District, it is a rare forested natural tourism resort that lies centrally in the city in China. Covering an area of approximately 13.83 square kilometers, the area will be developed with themes such as "Ecological Dongping," "Cultural Dongping," and "Research Dongping," aiming to create the largest urban ecological park in central Xiamen. This park will be positioned as a central ecological zone, a new cultural tourism landmark of Xiamen, a new inheritance of Minnan culture, and a leisure tourism destination, featuring tourist facilities such as characteristic accommodations, a successful chess garden, a forest library, a parent-child farm, and research bases.
(II) Information of key space for investment promotion
There are currently 50 pieces of industrial land in Siming District that cover an area of 557,900 square meters. There are currently 50 pieces of industrial land in Siming District that cover an area of 557,900 square meters. According to the development sequence, 29 plots with a land area of 34.76 hectares can be released in the near term, primarily located in the Kaiyuan Innovation Community and Xiamen International Business Core Area, while 21 plots with a land area of 21.21 hectares can be released in the long term, mainly concentrated in areas such as Lianban, North Hubin Road Super Headquarters, and Huangcuo Maohou.
Siming District actively promotes the development of the building economy, with 169 completed commercial buildings and a total office area exceeding 5.6 million square meters. This has led to the creation of specialized buildings for industries such as shipping, finance, and commerce, driven by leading enterprises and the concentration of professional service industries.
