Photo by Chen Donghai/siming.gov.cn

History

Siming, literally "missing the Ming Dynasty", was named by Zheng Chenggong (1624-1662), or Koxinga, a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) general who drove out Dutch invaders and recovered Taiwan. As a district of Xiamen, Fujian province, Siming has long been the political, economic, cultural and social center of Xiamen.

The district covers 84 square kilometers with a permanent population of 1.02 million. It ranked 33rd nationwide according to the White Paper on the Development of China's Top 100 Districts in 2018.

Geography

Siming district, located in the south of Xiamen Island, has Haicang Taiwan Merchant Investment Zone to the west and faces the Kinmen Islands of Taiwan in the east. The district plays a key role in foreign trade and economic and cultural exchanges with Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao. It is also home to Xiamen Port, a transport hub linking China with Southeast Asian countries. 

Economy

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Siming district reached 145 billion yuan ($21.55 billion) in 2018, up 7.2% year-on-year, while fiscal revenue also rose 7.2% year-on-year to 24.06 billion yuan. Siming has ranked top among counties, county-level cities and districts in Fujian in terms of economic development for three consecutive years. 

In addition to upgrading old towns, villages and factories, Siming focuses on the promotion of nine industries: finance, software information, high-end professional services, screen culture, sports, elderly services, coastal tourism, exhibitions and conferences, and healthcare. It is also committed to advancing the headquarters economy and has attracted a group of unicorn companies. China's high-end ride hailing company UCAR Technology Inc and Chinese coffee chain Luckin Coffee have set up management headquarters and national headquarters, respectively, in Siming. 

Moreover, Siming district strives to create a top business environment, which has attracted 462 national high-tech companies and 11 provincial top 20 internet companies. The number of companies based in Siming listed on the New Third Board took up 45% of the city's total. A string of international events have taken place in Siming, including the 28th China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, the World Open Ballroom Championships and the World Leisure Sports Science and Industry Forum. 

Besides, Siming is a hot spot for innovation and entrepreneurship platforms, with the Entrepreneur's Training Camp of Peking University, Pegasus Brigade and Atwork having settled in the district. Siming now has 11 national maker spaces and 15 provincial ones. It has also set up a service center for Taiwan talents, the first of its kind in Fujian province. 

Culture

Siming district enjoys a profound cultural background, featuring historical figures such as Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga) and Tan Kah Kee (1874-1961), a patriot, entrepreneur, educator, philanthropist and social activist. The UNESCO world cultural heritage site Gulangyu Island, Xiamen University and Nanputuo Temple are also three of Siming's "name cards". 

Siming is also increasing efforts to strengthen cross-Straits cultural exchanges by holding the cross-Straits Zheng Chenggong Cultural Festival and the Song Wang Chuan, a longstanding traditional festival embodying the locals' wishes to drive out evil spirits and pray for good harvests. Besides, the district's experience in initiating an "O2O" friendship platform for Taiwan compatriots won recognition from the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.