Series of major projects also at the vanguard of development plan for the province

The volume of foreign trade generated in August by Fujian province in eastern China hit 104.65 billion yuan ($15.88 billion) - the highest monthly total so far this year, according to statistics released by Xiamen Customs.

The latest statistics also showed that from January to August, the volume of trade between Fujian and other countries reached 768.91 billion yuan, an increase of 13.8 percent year-on-year.

Import volumes in the same period hit 293.24 billion yuan, an increase of 31.9 percent year-on-year, 9.4 percentage points higher than the average increase made by the country.

Export volumes reached 475.67 billion yuan, an increase of 5 percent over the past one year. Trade volume made by foreign invested enterprises hit 285.55 billion yuan, an increase of 14.2 percent year-on-year.

"Fujian has been accelerating pushing forward reforms and strengthening the impetus of its development," said You Quan, Party secretary of Fujian province.

"To give full play to Fujian's advantages, we should adhere to the ongoing reforms. Thereafter we can ... foster new growth points in its development."

Major projects at the vanguard of the province's development strategy include Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Area, Fujian Pilot Free Trade Zone and the construction of a core area of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Fujian Pilot Free Trade Zone is one of four pilot free trade zones in China established before 2016 - the other three are settled in Shanghai, Tianjin and Guangdong. Its establishment was approved by the State Council in 2014.

The pilot FTZ aims to develop logistics, e-commerce and financial leasing, as well as fostering trade and investment links with Taiwan. It was built as a test bed for reform and innovation.

The zone, which occupies a total of 118.04 square kilometers, has three major bases located in Fuzhou, Xiamen and Pingtan. Its development follows the release by the local government of a series of beneficial polices designed to boost foreign investment.

The pilot zone set up a "one declaration form system" for foreign companies, which combines into one form all the information required by the business, industry and commerce, quality testing and tax departments.

It also introduced a "one window for all procedures system," which allows business startups to submit application at one window at the comprehensive services hall.

"Fujian FTZ has made significant progress," said You.

"There have been 17 innovative achievements in administrative reform, such as the one window for all procedures system, and some of them have been referred to other regions in China," he added.

"A convenient environment for business and commerce in Fujian has been taking shape."

Fujian's second-largest city, Xiamen, the host of the ninth BRICS Summit, has witnessed increasing trade and personnel exchanges with other BRICS member countries in recent years.

In the first half of the year, the province's trade with Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa - the four other BRICS nations - grew by 67.7 percent to 49.4 billion yuan ($7.54 billion), according to statistics from the provincial commerce department.

At the same time, the government is gearing up to improve the province's industrial structure, aiming to boost its quality and efficiency, according to You.

Besides economic reform, Fujian has been paving the way to streamlining its industrial structure over the past five years.

You said the focus had been on the major electronic information, machinery and equipment industries - as well as neurochemistry - and a group of major projects on a large scale had been cultivated.

The added value of the three leading industries increased from 260 billion yuan in 2012 to 370 billion yuan in 2016.

The economic achievements helped fund the rollout of measures by the government to improve the lives of its citizens.

You said last year Fujian spent more than 70 percent of its public fiscal expenditure on people's livelihoods. He added that the increase in the annual per capita disposable income of the province's urban and rural residents was higher than the economic growth rate.

By the end of 2016, Fujian's senior citizens numbered 5.32 million, accounting for 13.73 percent of the whole population. According to officials, the province has made a great effort in establishing a caring system, as the numbers of senior citizens have grown rapidly.

In 2016, the authorities invested a total of 94.8 million yuan in constructing State-owned senior citizens caring centers, or supporting private ones.

As a result, in the halls of one center for seniors in Fuzhou, older people sit together, play chess, have massages, or work on DIY handcrafts. Some of the elderly can be regularly seen doing exercises.

The center provides free entertainment and rehabilitation services, and a 24-hour emergency rescue service.

"The services here are really very good," said one 66-year-old female resident.

liyou@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 10/18/2017 page24)