Fujian Advances Cross-Strait Integration Initiatives With Major Infrastructure and Economic Projects

Infrastructure Expansion and the Xiamen Xiangan International Airport

At the center of this infrastructure push is the Xiamen Xiangan International Airport, scheduled to open by the end of the year. Airport construction engineer Liao Zhicote of Xiamen Xiangye Group Corporation noted that the terminal incorporates traditional regional design elements, including a massive roof structure supported by timber-grained grilles and floral columns meant to symbolize cultural roots shared across the Taiwan Strait. Planners have also reserved a dedicated terminal area specifically for travelers arriving from Kinmen. According to former Kinmen County Magistrate Li Zhufeng, the upcoming airport integration and the ongoing construction of the Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge aim to eliminate Kinmen’s geographic isolation, reducing travel time to the airport to just 10 minutes once completed.

Transportation Links and the Expansion of Minor Three Links

Transportation ties continue to expand through the “Minor Three Links” passenger shipping routes connecting Xiamen, Quanzhou, and Fuzhou to Kinmen and Matsu. In the first eight months of the year, passenger volume across these four routes reached 158.36万人次, representing a 25.34 percent increase compared to the previous year. Alongside these maritime routes, engineering work is accelerating on major transport hubs, including the Xiamen section of the Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge and the second-phase expansion of Fuzhou Changle International Airport.

Water Supply and Utility Integration for Kinmen

Utility networks have similarly expanded to meet civilian needs on outlying islands. At the Jinmen Water Supply Corporation facility operated by Fujian Water Investment Group in Quanzhou’s Jinjiang, digital monitoring screens track real-time water flow crossing the strait. Company general manager Hong Jiaxing reported that Fujian now supplies approximately 22,000 tons of fresh water to Kinmen daily, accounting for 87 percent of the daily water demand for the Kinmen Waterworks. The cross-strait water supply has kept water quality compliance at 100 percent while lowering Kinmen’s reliance on local groundwater from a historical peak of 68 percent down to 0.3 percent. Additional utility projects, such as the Xiamen-Kinmen gas supply initiative at Dadeng Island and preliminary construction on the second phase of Fuzhou’s water supply project to Matsu, have also advanced through completion and testing phases.

Economic Cooperation and Support for Taiwanese Enterprises

Beyond physical infrastructure, Fujian has rolled out five batches containing 74 specific policy measures to foster business and trade ties. Enterprises from Taiwan operating in the province have integrated into local supply chains under preferential frameworks. Cai Jingyu, general manager of Xiamen Taizu Food Company—which expanded to Xiamen from Kinmen in 2006—noted that the business secured a regional “time-honored brand” designation in 2023, bolstering its market presence. Across the province, more than 10 Taiwanese and island-based enterprises have earned traditional brand status, while eight Fujian-based Taiwanese companies have completed listings on A-share stock exchanges, and over 5658家 businesses have registered on the specialized Taiwan-funded board.