Xiamen City Leading the Way in Green Development
Xiamen City in China has become a model for green development, with a focus on ecological protection and restoration projects. This focus on ecological civilization construction has been a key highlight of the city, attracting attention from top leaders, including Comrade Xi Jinping.
During his time in Xiamen, Xi Jinping emphasized the theory and practice of ecological civilization construction and set forth a series of requirements to prioritize environmental protection. The city has followed the concept of “mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grass and sand are a community of life,” and integrated various ecological protection and restoration projects.
A prime example of the success of green development can be seen in Junying Village, one of the highest and most remote administrative villages in Xiamen. Once a site of deforestation and ecological damage, Junying Village has transformed into a thriving tea garden and tourist destination. With every family growing mountain tea and numerous B&Bs in operation, the excellent ecology has become a source of income for the villagers.
Party branch secretary Gao Quanwei highlighted the financial benefits of the village’s carbon sinks, stating, “Even our air can be sold for money. The carbon sinks produced by our tea gardens have been sold twice.”
The transformation of Junying Village is a testament to the success of Xi Jinping’s development idea of “wearing hats on the mountains and developing under the mountains.” This strategy prioritizes ecological protection and promotes economic development by planting trees on the mountains to protect the ecology and growing fruits and tea at the foot of the mountains to boost the local economy.
The shift towards prioritizing ecological protection and restoration was influenced by the environmental problems that emerged as Xiamen experienced rapid development. In response, then-governor Xi Jinping proposed and organized the “Xiamen Economic and Social Development Strategy from 1985 to 2000,” which was the first to include ecological and environmental protection as an important goal of the special zone development strategy.
This forward-looking strategy paved the way for the establishment of a marine management office in Xiamen, which focused on solving marine management issues and implementing measures to curb the deterioration of the ecological environment.
The focus on marine ecological restoration continued to expand, leading to comprehensive renovation in five bay areas, reconstruction of mangrove wetlands, and restoration of coastal beaches. These efforts have transformed Xiamen into a model for climate change and biodiversity solutions, providing a blueprint for sustainable development.
The success of green development in Xiamen is evident in the city’s economic and social development. The marine economy has experienced consistent annual growth, and marine carbon sinks have accounted for more than half of the national blue carbon trading market share. Additionally, high-tech manufacturing has seen significant growth, surpassing the national average.
As Xiamen continues to prioritize ecological protection and restoration, the city is striving to integrate various projects and promote the symbiosis of “mountains, seas, industries, cities, and people.” This holistic approach to green development has not only improved the ecosystem but also enhanced the city’s economic and cultural tourism sectors.
Xiamen’s success in green development serves as a model for other cities, demonstrating that ecological protection and economic development can go hand in hand. As Jia Wenlong, Vice President of the China Academy of Natural Resources Economics, noted, Xiamen’s approach has proven that clear waters and lush mountains, as well as blue seas and silver beaches, can all contribute to the prosperity of a region.