Xiamen FTZ accelerates digital development

The Xiamen Area of the China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone has been accelerating its pace in digital transformation in recent years as it aims to become the country's leading 5G comprehensive bonded zone and a pilot area for a digital BRICS partnership by 2022, according to a local news report.

The area's booming digital development can be attributed to the forward-looking policies for digital infrastructure development that have been set by the local government.

According to official data, the area has built 249 5G base stations to date, achieving full 5G network coverage in public areas in the pilot free trade zone. Next-generation information technologies, such as big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, have been widely adopted in the area as well.

Efforts were also made in 2019 to turn Xiamen Port into a "very smart port" which features an intelligent logistics platform and a "single window" system that enables international traders to submit regulatory documents at a single location and/or single entity.

While seizing the opportunities in industrial digitization and digital industrialization, the pilot free trade zone in Xiamen has actively developed industries with digital advantages. Empowered by the digital economy, the area has attracted a number of high-quality projects such as Tuya Smart Technologies and Bubi Network Technology.

Additionally, the area was encouraged to conduct bold trials and experiments in digital governance. Last year, the Xiamen Maritime Safety Administration launched a digital platform for epidemic prevention and control that has greatly improved the efficiency of the port.

The area introduced an integrated circuit bonded supervision program in 2019 to support development of the IC industry. The model imposes bonded supervision on all IC-related parties, including design companies, production companies, packaging and testing companies.