An aerial photo taken on September 4, 2024, shows the scenery of Xinglin Pavilion at the Xiamen Horticulture Expo Garden and Jimei New City in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province. Photo: Xinhua

Forty years ago, residents described Xiamen in East China's Fujian Province as having "uneven roads, dim streetlights, unreliable telephone service, and tap water frequently cut off." 

Today, Xiamen has become a high-quality, attractive, modern, and international city praised by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

The remarkable transformation of Xiamen was driven by the strategic layout in the "1985-2000 Xiamen Economic and Social Development Strategy" (Development Strategy), the reform resolve to "cut roads through mountains and build bridges over water," the steadfast commitment to thoroughly implementing a single blueprint, and the unwavering original aspiration: "I will fully commit to the people and never fail them."

By combining top?level design with a "crossing the river by feeling the stones" approach, for more than 30 years in the past, this single blueprint and one city have demonstrated the power of ideas and exemplified China's governance model.

A farsighted blueprint

Xiamen's current high-quality development stems from the blueprint laid out more than 30 years ago. From planning economic development, industrial growth, and institutional reform, to deploying efforts in technological innovation, ecological protection, cultural advancement, education, and talent cultivation - this comprehensive, scientific, and systematic development blueprint was drawn up under the leadership of Xi, who then served as a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Xiamen Municipal Committee and executive vice mayor of Xiamen. 

The Development Strategy charted Xiamen's future and marked a first: it was the earliest 15-year regional blueprint formulated by local authorities, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

A visionary blueprint has turned dreams into reality. Today, Xiamen is fostering the development of new quality productive forces and building a modern industrial system driven by sustained momentum and tiered growth. A total of 10 key industries, including machinery, equipment, and financial services, have exceeded 100 billion yuan ($13.95 billion) in scale, with industrial innovation capacity and overall competitiveness continuously strengthening.

More importantly, at a time when both international and domestic discourse rarely addressed medium? to long?term strategic planning for regional development, the Development Strategy introduced an innovative framework for mid? to long?term strategic studies. It explored pathways and methods for modern urban governance in China, and through sustained effort, it has proven that medium? and long?term development planning plays a critical role in promoting sustainable local development.

The scientific formulation and consistent implementation of five-year plans constitute important experience in the CPC's approach to governing the country.

An epitome 

Xiamen's development is an epitome of China's reform and opening-up process.

The Development Strategy outlined a gradual, phased approach, envisioning Xiamen as a "free port-style" special economic zone (SEZ). 

SEZs serve as trailblazers for reform and opening-up. During his early career, Xi directly participated in reform and opening-up efforts in this coastal region.

"Leaders chart the course while the people get the job done." The Development Strategy is rich with innovative solutions, reform measures, and open policies that tackle challenges directly.

For more than 30 years, combining top-level design with grassroots experimentation, Xiamen has pursued its three-phase strategic goals, achieving numerous national "firsts" and "pioneering" reforms. These mark the city's remarkable leap in reform and opening-up.

Today, Xiamen is one of China's key hubs for intensive and high-impact reform policies, achieving notable systemic integration. 

An aerial view of Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province File photo: VCG

For instance, the average vessel stay at Xiamen Port is 0.93 days, ranking second globally among major ports. The China-Europe Railway Express (Xiamen) now reaches more than 30 cities in 13 countries.

At present, Xiamen actively aligns with national strategies, striving to become a key node in the new development paradigm. It strengthens global economic loops, boosts domestic market dynamism, and fosters synergy between dual circulation pathways. 

The reform direction outlined in the Development Strategy - combining top-down design with grassroots practices - has been pivotal to Xiamen's historic achievements.

Xiamen's success reflects the Chinese people's perseverance and pioneering spirit in overcoming challenges.

Advancing Chinese modernization is a systematic endeavor, and it is also an exploratory undertaking. As reform traverses countless challenges, the era, as the "question setter," continually presents challenges. We must preserve the spirit of bold exploration, maintain the drive for innovation, and uphold the will to act. Within the framework of top-level design, we should strive to open new horizons for reform and development.

Concrete action

The vitality of a plan lies in its execution. Xiamen has unswervingly implemented its Development Strategy for more than 30 years. As a result, by 2023, its GDP had grown by 149.6 times and its fiscal revenue increased by 460.9 times, while the urban area expanded 11-fold.

Guided by the Development Strategy, Xiamen has implemented multiple plans to promote its development in various fields.

In the journey of Chinese modernization, time serves both as a constant test of resolve and a pressing call to action. 

The understanding of time of CPC members is measured in centuries or millennia.

Long-term tasks demand strategic patience and consistency, avoiding short-termism or campaign-style approaches. Yet, urgent tasks demand immediate action without delay. Long-term planning and immediate action are dialectically unified. National development advances step by step through sustained collective efforts - neither rushed nor delayed.

Through challenges and progress, China translates historical vision and strategic thinking into concrete action.

This was compiled from an article that was originally published on the front page of the People's Daily on July 4, 2025.