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

The pilot FTZ aims to develop logistics, e-commerce and financial leasing, as well as fostering trade and investment links with Taiwan. It was built as a test bed for reform and innovation.

The zone, which occupies a total of 118.04 square kilometers, has three major bases located in Fuzhou, Xiamen and Pingtan. Its development follows the release by the local government of a series of beneficial polices designed to boost foreign investment.

The pilot zone set up a "one declaration form system" for foreign companies, which combines into one form all the information required by the business, industry and commerce, quality testing and tax departments.

It also introduced a "one window for all procedures system," which allows business startups to submit application at one window at the comprehensive services hall.

"Fujian FTZ has made significant progress," said You.

"There have been 17 innovative achievements in administrative reform, such as the one window for all procedures system, and some of them have been referred to other regions in China," he added.

"A convenient environment for business and commerce in Fujian has been taking shape."

Fujian's second-largest city, Xiamen, the host of the ninth BRICS Summit, has witnessed increasing trade and personnel exchanges with other BRICS member countries in recent years.

In the first half of the year, the province's trade with Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa - the four other BRICS nations - grew by 67.7 percent to 49.4 billion yuan ($7.54 billion), according to statistics from the provincial commerce department.

At the same time, the government is gearing up to improve the province's industrial structure, aiming to boost its quality and efficiency, according to You.

Besides economic reform, Fujian has been paving the way to streamlining its industrial structure over the past five years.