Xiamen, one of China's biggest port cities, will spend billions of yuan to develop another coastal resort to maintain the old city's greenery and to attract more high-end foreign investments, an official said.

The city is considering building another international airport to "symbolize" the economic success of Xiamen, one of the earliest special economic zones.

"We plan to invest over 30 billion yuan to develop another beautiful coastal resort, which will overtake Gulangyu Island in terms of size and scenery," Mayor Liu Cigui told reporters in a press briefing in Hong Kong yesterday.

Only minutes off the coast from Xiamen, Gulangyu Island enjoys a unique status with locals and visitors and is called the Island of Piano for its big piano collection. It is also home to China's best pianists.

"We will spare no effort to maintain the city as the most environmental friendly one, and to keep the city like a big garden so that local residents are happy to stay, and investors as well as immigrants are happy to come," said Liu.

"Anyone who has been to Xiamen must agree that it is a very beautiful and harmonious city. As the municipal public servants we should help maintain the environment," he added.

Liu, who was appointed as the mayor of the city early this year, said the city might need to build another airport with advanced international standard. "Because airport symbolizes a city's economic development. I do not rule out the possibility that Xiamen will open another airport with more facilities for travelers from home and abroad."

The top municipal official said that the city would most welcome high-end and high-tech investment.

"Xiamen would be specially in favor of investment coming from high-end and high technology related companies, we also welcome high-end service out-sourcing businesses," said Liu.

Hong Kong projects take up 40 percent of the city's total foreign investment, and Hong Kong is one of the biggest trade partners of the city.

About 500 companies in Xiamen are owned by Taiwan investors, and the number has been growing rapidly in recent years, as the cross-strait trade has become "tighter and closer", and more Taiwanese aim to take a slice of the country's success, the mayor said.