Fujian's foreign trade booms big time in wake of effective reforms

You said the focus had been on the major electronic information, machinery and equipment industries - as well as neurochemistry - and a group of major projects on a large scale had been cultivated.

The added value of the three leading industries increased from 260 billion yuan in 2012 to 370 billion yuan in 2016.

The economic achievements helped fund the rollout of measures by the government to improve the lives of its citizens.

You said last year Fujian spent more than 70 percent of its public fiscal expenditure on people's livelihoods. He added that the increase in the annual per capita disposable income of the province's urban and rural residents was higher than the economic growth rate.

By the end of 2016, Fujian's senior citizens numbered 5.32 million, accounting for 13.73 percent of the whole population. According to officials, the province has made a great effort in establishing a caring system, as the numbers of senior citizens have grown rapidly.

In 2016, the authorities invested a total of 94.8 million yuan in constructing State-owned senior citizens caring centers, or supporting private ones.

As a result, in the halls of one center for seniors in Fuzhou, older people sit together, play chess, have massages, or work on DIY handcrafts. Some of the elderly can be regularly seen doing exercises.

The center provides free entertainment and rehabilitation services, and a 24-hour emergency rescue service.

"The services here are really very good," said one 66-year-old female resident.