XM hosts East Asia Sea Congress

Scores of officials from more than 10 countries will join over 1,000 Chinese and international guests for this week's East Asia Sea Congress and Xiamen International Ocean Week. The congress and Ocean Week  officially begins on November 6. The paired events will include more than 30 meetings covering a range of topics related to cultural and economic aspects of the world's oceans and seas.

The Partnership for Environmental Management of the East Asian Seas is organizing the congress, which is coorganized by the local ministry of natural resources and the city of Xiamen.Ancillary events include a cultural carnival and a series of professional international marine exhibitions that are expected to attract nearly 300 exhibitors.

Japan's RS Technologies Group recently signed an agreement to establish its China Investment Headquarters in Xiamen, with a planned registered capital of $65 million. The group's silicon wafer recycling business generated about $153 million last year and holds a 33 percent global market share.

The city of Xiamen recently approved Anjoy's application for a new frozen food production line project. The facility will include an annual output of up to 140,000 tons. Located in Haicang, the project covers a total planned construction area of 186,000 square meters and consists of two factory buildings, a raw material cold storage building and various support facilities.

This year's United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16) wrapped up earlier this month. The international meeting is held every two years to agree on commitments to safeguard the environment. The Colombian city of Cali hosted this year's event.

Participants from over 190 countries both reviewed the progress made to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework and assessed the level of alignment between country-level activities and the overall plan.

Officials during the meeting announced new sets of communities to earn the Biodiversity Charming City and the Cities with Nature titles. Xiamen earned both honors for its environmental and biodiversity protection efforts.

City officials noted that Xiamen is currently home to 1,119 species of plants, 1,342 species of marine animals, 19 species of mammals and 402 species of birds. The city boasts more than 200 public parks covering a total green area topping 60 square kilometers. It is also home to 17 wetland habitats and two nature reserves.

Xiamen recently hosted the inaugural Cultural and Museum IP Licensing Exhibition. The event included institutions such as the Henan Museum, the National Museum of China and the Suzhou Museum. The exhibition attracted more than 20 domestic museums and science and technology museums, as well as more than 1,000 corporate brands from various industries. Evet organizers said that the bilateral connection promoted exchanges and cooperation between museums and corporate representatives.

The Xiamen Huierjie Technology Company recently earned the rights to develop a plot of land at the intersection of Xinxi and Gaoxin avenue in the Tongxiang High-tech City. The development is set to cover 20,000 square meters. Established in 2011, Xiamen Huierjie Tech operates a factory in the Xiamen Torch (Xiangan) Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone. The joint-stock enterprise engages in R&D, production and sales and is supported by China's Torch program.

The final round of the annual Data Elements X competition recently wrapped up in Beijing. The 20,000 participating teams included three groups from Fujian that captured major awards during the event. More than a dozen ministries and commissions including the National Data Bureau, the Cyberspace Administration of China, and the Ministry of Transport helped to organize the event. A pair of Xiamen-based teams earned the first prize in the green and low-carbon category and in the technology innovation category. Xiamen's green and low-carbon entry won its award for a program that uses big data to analyze an electric grid's sources, load and storage, helping with micro-distribution to operate a more efficient and low-carbon power grid.

Xiamen Botanical Garden officials announced that its baobab tree is currently in bloom and has produced fruit, a rare occurrence in Xiamen. The baobab tree, which is native to Africa, was introduced to the garden years ago but first bore fruit in volume in 2020. Last November marked its second flowering.

The Jimei New Town branch of the city's library system recently opened a designated temporary dining area. Citizens can now enjoy deliveries during meal hours, which run between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The dining area is located near Entrance Three and includes seating for more than 30 guests.

The annual Cross-Strait (Xiamen) Cultural Industries Fair opened on October 31 at the Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center. This year's event included a Taiwan-themed exhibition area as well as nine thematic halls, including the Taiwan County and City Hall, the Taiwan Masters Craftsman Hall and the Cross-Strait Cultural and Creative Hall.

Exhibitioners included more than 200 Taiwan brands and over 100 master craftsmen such as Guo Junan, Liu Shiping and Ye Zhicheng. They showcased a wide array of products such as Taiwan tea, lacquerware, indigenous crafts, original IP and cultural tourism products and services.

A combined 68 listed firms based in Xiamen released third-quarter earnings reports at the end of October. The Xiamen-based companies generated a combined revenue of 1.3 trillion yuan in the first three quarters, with a total net profit of 20.3 billion yuan.

Xiamen C&D led in revenue with 502.1 billion yuan, while Yealink was the most profitable, achieving two billion yuan in net profit, making it a top-three earner among Xiamen's listed firms.

Local customs officials announced last week that Fujian-based automakers exported vehicles collectively valued at more than 10 billion yuan, up 14.6 percent year-on-year. Minzao (made in Fujian) vehicles are especially popular in emerging markets such as the Middle East and southeast Asia.