Early embodiment

The strategy marked not only a pivotal starting point for Xiamen's urban planning, but also an early embodiment of Xi's consistent governance philosophy. During his tenure in Xiamen, Xi advocated an ecologically oriented approach — a forerunner to the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets".

In March 1988, Xi chaired a special meeting to address the pollution of Yundang Lake.

Despite severe funding constraints, the meeting concluded with a decision that the city would allocate 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) annually over the next two years — a sum equivalent to one-tenth of the city's total investment in infrastructure at the time, and more than the combined total spent in the previous decade.

Xi also introduced an innovative policy to guide the systematic restoration of Yundang Lake: Govern by the law, intercept sewage, dredge and reinforce the banks, rejuvenate the water body and beautify the environment.

The comprehensive approach not only revived the lake, but also set a replicable model for lake management across the country.

"At that time, Xiamen's economic foundation was weak, and development was urgent. Some officials preferred to invest in projects with direct economic returns. But Xi emphasized factoring in ecological considerations — a farsighted strategic vision that truly stood out," said Zhang Yihe, former deputy director of the then Xiamen municipal utilities bureau.

Subsequently, Xiamen continued with five phases of comprehensive lake restoration, investing a total of approximately 1.99 billion yuan and delivering on the consistent long-term vision.

The efforts have yielded remarkable results. Today, the water quality of Yundang Lake has significantly improved, and its biodiversity continues to rise. In recent years, 63 species of swimming organisms and around 200 types of plankton have been recorded in the lake area, alongside 15 orders, 37 families and 98 species of birds.

The transformation of Yundang Lake is a vivid illustration of the strategy's vision becoming reality.

"This strategy can be seen as a comprehensive document that encapsulates many of General Secretary Xi's innovative ideas and practical explorations during his tenure in Xiamen, serving as a vital source of inspiration for the city's bold journey of reform and opening-up," said Cui Yonghui, Party secretary of Xiamen.

"The strategy throughout emphasizes concepts like innovation, green development and openness. It not only scientifically planned the key priorities of economic development, but also made farsighted deployments in science and technology, ecological protection, cultural advancement and education," Cui added.

"This reflects General Secretary Xi's early view that modernization is not only about the economy, but also requires coordinated progress across science and technology, culture, society and ecology."

Under the guidance of the strategy, Xiamen has made major developmental strides. Between 1985 and 2024, Xiamen's GDP grew at an average annual rate of 13.8 percent — 5.1 percentage points higher than the national average, and 2.8 percentage points higher than the provincial average.

One of the most visionary parts of the strategy was its emphasis on expanding opening-up. It proposed that Xiamen "expand opening-up and promptly implement certain free port policies" — a move seen as a key breakthrough that laid the conceptual foundation for the later development of the Xiamen Area of China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone.