Quanzhou, a coastal city in southeast China’s Fujian province known for its rich history and vibrant private economy, is looking to the future with new ambitions.

Inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee last year for its historical role as the “World Trade Center of Song and Yuan China”, Quanzhou was once the site of China’s most important inland port docks that connected the country’s inland regions. to the rest of the world.

In 2021, Quanzhou joined the list of cities with a GDP exceeding 1 trillion yuan ($148 billion), with a GDP of exactly 1,015.9 billion yuan, ranking first in Fujian province in the past two decades, while in terms of other main economic indicators such as GDP growth and industrial production remain at the forefront compared to other Chinese cities.

Quanzhou has set a target of raising its gross domestic product (GDP) to more than 2.8 trillion yuan by 2035 in its development plan released by local authorities last year.

During the period of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), Quanzhou City will strive to maintain its leading position in terms of economic performance and top the list of the world’s most innovative cities. National, this plan suggests.

In addition, Quanzhou will intensify its efforts to establish a reference group of private enterprises. Thus, it is expected to accommodate more than 3,000 private enterprises, each worth more than 100 million yuan, and more than 10 private enterprises, each worth more than 10 billion yuan.