Guo Ningning: Continuing the Grand Task of Building a Modern International City
Fujian is a crucial birthplace and testing ground for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. During his tenure in Fuzhou, Comrade Xi Jinping personally presided over the compilation of the Strategic Plan for Fuzhou’s Economic and Social Development over 20 Years (hereafter referred to as the "3820" Strategic Project [1]), which mapped out a grand blueprint for Fuzhou to build a modern international city. In August 1995, at the Seventh Party Congress of Fuzhou Municipality, Comrade Xi Jinping explicitly defined the goal of "striving to build a modern international city": that is, based on the "3820" Strategic Project, to spend another twenty to thirty years (i.e., by around 2035) striving to place Fuzhou among the ranks of advanced international cities. Guided by this goal, the cadres and masses of Fuzhou launched a series of pioneering practices in urban modernization, laying a solid foundation for Fuzhou’s development. The vital concepts and strategic deployments for building a modern international city share the same lineage as the theoretical system of Chinese-path modernization, presenting us with a vivid landscape of innovative municipal-level practices of Chinese-path modernization.
At the Central Urban Work Conference held recently, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech, profoundly expounding on a series of major theoretical and practical issues regarding urban modernization with Chinese characteristics. This provided a scientific guide for action to blaze a new trail for urban modernization with Chinese characteristics and issued a mobilization order to the entire Party and the people of the whole country to build modern people-centered cities. Considering Fuzhou’s reality, we have profoundly studied and grasped the spirit of the Central Urban Work Conference. Building on 30 years of experience in constructing a modern international city, we are accelerating the construction of a modern people-centered city, resolutely advancing toward the realization of socialist modernization, and striving to create an important window to showcase Chinese-path modernization to the world.
Building a modern international city is a pioneering exploration of Chinese-path modernization at the municipal level, initiating innovative practices for a modern people-centered city
From the initial realization of industrialization to the achievement of the "Four Modernizations," [2] to the realization of socialist modernization, and finally to the comprehensive building of a great modern socialist country, all the struggles led by the Communist Party of China over the past 100 years have been for the purpose of building our country into a modern powerhouse and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress, under the leadership and helm of General Secretary Xi Jinping, our Party has continuously achieved innovative breakthroughs in theory and practice, successfully promoting and expanding Chinese-path modernization and preliminary constructing its theoretical system. During his time in Fuzhou, Comrade Xi Jinping personally planned and led the development and construction of a modern international city, engaging in deep reflection and exploratory practice on a series of major theoretical and practical issues, accumulating valuable experience for accelerating the construction of modern people-centered cities and continuously advancing Chinese-path modernization.
From a historical perspective, Comrade Xi Jinping’s planning and layout for the construction of a modern international city constitute an innovative exploration within our Party’s continuous advancement of the process of Chinese-path modernization. In the early 1990s, Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s Southern Tour speeches sounded the clarion call for a new round of reform and opening up in China. As then-Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee, Comrade Xi Jinping insisted on "looking at Fuzhou from outside Fuzhou," casting his gaze across the country and the world. He deeply studied the modernization issues and medium-to-long-term development strategies of Fuzhou, personally presiding over the "3820" Strategic Project. He proposed a series of development strategies, such as building the "Min River Estuary Golden Triangle Economic Circle," constructing "Maritime Fuzhou," and building a modern international city. He explored and constructed a scientific, pragmatic, systematic, comprehensive, and highly forward-looking system of macro-strategic goals, establishing the general blueprint, program, and strategy for Fuzhou’s modernization, thereby opening a new realm of Chinese-path modernization practice at the municipal level.
From a theoretical perspective, Comrade Xi Jinping’s systematic reflections on the construction of a modern international city provided an important theoretical preparation for profoundly grasping urban development trends and exploring the laws of Chinese-path modernization. Thirty years ago, Comrade Xi Jinping personally organized theoretical research and academic seminars, clearly proposing that a modern city should encompass the modernization of the urban economy, society, culture, education, science and technology, as well as the modernization of living styles, the environment, infrastructure, and the people themselves. He required that, on the basis of modernization, there must be a high degree of international openness. By systematically grasping the core essence of urban construction, he profoundly elucidated the concepts, goals, and directions for advancing modernization at the municipal level. These ideas reflect our Party’s deepening understanding of the laws of urban development and are highly consistent in connotation, characteristics, goals, and requirements with the five specific features of Chinese-path modernization [3], serving as an important source for the construction of the theoretical system of Chinese-path modernization.
From a practical perspective, Comrade Xi Jinping’s guidance and promotion of modern international city construction laid a solid foundation for the formation of the theoretical system of Chinese-path modernization and the enrichment of the theory of modern people-centered cities. Chinese-path modernization is not an abstract speculation but a vivid practice rooted in the land of China. Thirty years ago, Comrade Xi Jinping led by example, vigorously advocating for fine styles of work such as "doing it now and working with practical results" (马上就办、真抓实干). He led Fuzhou’s cadres to emancipate their minds and forge ahead, innovatively creating investment promotion platforms such as "Fuzhou International Investment Month," vigorously establishing various types of development and investment zones, and forward-positioning the construction of major infrastructure such as international airports, deep-water piers, expressways, and power energy. He pushed the city’s development to "advance east and move south, following the river toward the sea." Over the past 30 years, Fuzhou’s insistence on "drawing one blueprint to the end" [4] and its construction achievements have provided a municipal model for advancing Chinese-path modernization, possessing significant value and far-reaching meaning for the construction of modern people-centered cities.
Profoundly grasping the shared connotations and essential requirements that link Chinese-path modernization and the construction of a modern international city
Chinese-path modernization is a pioneering undertaking. Since the 18th National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made the "two-step" strategic arrangement [5], clarified the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four Comprehensives, and deeply implemented a series of major strategies such as strengthening the country through science and education, strengthening the country through talent, and comprehensive rural revitalization, making Chinese-path modernization more distinct, scientific, tangible, and feasible. Building modern people-centered cities is a vital component and a basic project of Chinese-path modernization at the municipal level. Some of these ideas and strategic deployments were already reflected in Comrade Xi Jinping’s thinking and exploration 30 years ago when he planned and promoted Fuzhou’s construction of a modern international city.
Always regarding the adherence to and strengthening of Party leadership as the fundamental guarantee. Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China. "Upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China" ranks first among the essential requirements of Chinese-path modernization, and "upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership" also ranks first among the major principles that must be firmly grasped. General Secretary Xi Jinping has always attached great importance to strengthening the Party’s leadership over Chinese-path modernization. During his work in Fuzhou more than 30 years ago, he pointed out the need to "strengthen the Party’s leadership over the overall work of modernization to ensure the smooth progress of reform, opening up, and economic construction." In fields such as enterprise reform, opening to the outside world, and Taiwan-related work, he consistently emphasized ensuring the political core status of Party organizations. Comrade Xi Jinping promoted the implementation of the "Fortress Project" (堡垒工程). Between 1991 and early 1993, the proportion of "Category I" Party branches in the city rose from 52.8% to 86.4%. All 162 foreign-invested enterprises (三资企业) [6] in the city that met the conditions for establishing Party organizations did so, and there were even instances of foreign businessmen taking the initiative to "request" a Party secretary from the Municipal Party Committee. These important concepts and practices are a valuable legacy for our comprehensive strengthening of Party leadership. Fuzhou has always adhered to the Party’s overall leadership. In the New Era, the "Fortress Project" has been deeply implemented. We pioneered a mechanism in Fujian Province where deputies to the People's Congress and the masses vote on "projects for the people's benefit" and select the "ten things the people are most satisfied with." We also innovatively created the "Rong [7] Consultation" (榕你来商量) grassroots political consultation brand to more broadly build consensus and pool wisdom and strength. This teaches us that on the new journey of accelerating the construction of a modern international city and advancing Chinese-path modernization, we must integrate the adherence to and strengthening of the Party’s overall leadership throughout the process, continuously develop whole-process people’s democracy, and consolidate the powerful force of united struggle.
Always regarding the enhancement of economic strength as the primary prerequisite. Economic work is the central task of the Party and the state; without a solid material and technical foundation, it is impossible to comprehensively build a great modern socialist country. During his tenure in Fuzhou, Comrade Xi Jinping made a series of important expositions on economic work and continuously innovated in practice. He proposed the realization of "the modernization of the urban economy," requiring the maintenance of a relatively rapid growth rate under the premise of improving quality and efficiency. He emphasized that as a national comprehensive reform pilot city and a coastal open city, Fuzhou should expand its opening to both domestic and international markets in an all-round way, laying a solid foundation for Fuzhou to move toward modernization and internationalization. Proceeding from the developmental conditions of a large population, a weak foundation, and unbalanced economic development, Comrade Xi Jinping required Fuzhou to accelerate the pace of economic construction. He innovated a model of three types of development zones—state-run, overseas Chinese-run, and privately run—laying a solid foundation for attracting foreign and overseas Chinese investment projects. He vigorously implemented the strategy of "strengthening the city through science and education," focusing on using high and new technology to transform traditional industries and accelerating the informatization of the national economy. With great foresight, he mapped out the "Maritime Fuzhou" strategy, extending the reach of economic development from land to sea, leading Fuzhou to seek strength from the ocean. These important expositions and practices are inherently aligned with General Secretary Xi Jinping’s assertions since the 18th National Congress that high-quality development is the primary task of building a modern socialist country in all respects, and that innovation is the primary driver of development. Currently, Fuzhou’s industrial foundation continues to be consolidated, having cultivated six 100-billion-yuan industrial clusters and four 100-billion-yuan industrial parks. One national strategic emerging industrial cluster and three national-level small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) characteristic industrial clusters have been established. The city’s digital economy exceeds 790 billion yuan, accounting for 56% of GDP, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 20% over the last five years. The Gross Marine Product is approximately 3400 billion yuan, ranking among the top in the country, providing strong support for the continuous rise of the city’s total economic volume. This teaches us that on the new journey, we must focus on the central task of economic construction and the primary task of high-quality development, lead industrial innovation through technological innovation, accelerate the cultivation of new quality productive forces, build a modern industrial system, and coordinate the promotion of urban-rural integration and regional coordinated development to better serve and integrate into the new development pattern.
Always placing cultural construction in an important position. Chinese-path modernization requires both immense material wealth and immense spiritual wealth, with self-reliance and self-improvement in thought and culture. In leading the construction of Fuzhou as a modern international city, Comrade Xi Jinping always maintained the principle of "grasping both material and spiritual civilizations" [8]. He proposed that "while building material civilization, we must vigorously strengthen socialist spiritual civilization, which is an important feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics." He focused on inheriting fine traditional Chinese culture and protecting historical and cultural heritage, clearly stating: "In evaluating whether a system or a force is progressive or reactionary, a key point is to see its attitude toward history and culture." When serving as Governor of Fujian, he personally wrote the preface for the book Ancient Dwellings of Fuzhou, emphasizing that "developing the economy is an important responsibility of a leader; protecting ancient buildings, traditional streets, cultural relics, and famous cities is also an important responsibility of a leader." He led Fuzhou in establishing the "Four Ones" (四个一) [9] work mechanism for cultural relic protection, formulated regulations for the protection and management of famous historical and cultural cities, and promoted the restoration of important historical sites like the Min King Temple and the former residences of celebrities like Lin Zexu. He also vigorously promoted the revitalization of Min Opera to foster the prosperity of the arts. Fuzhou has always protected its historical and cultural fame with a heart of cherishing and reverence, pushing for "Three Lanes and Seven Alleys," Maritime Silk Road sites, and Ship Administration culture sites to be included in China’s tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage. Sixteen items of intangible cultural heritage, such as Min Opera, have been included in national protection lists. The 44th session of the World Heritage Committee was successfully held in Fuzhou. The creation of national demonstration zones for public cultural services continues to deepen, and the city has won the title of "National Civilized City" five consecutive times. This teaches us that on the new journey, we must always be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, properly handle the relationship between historical culture and modern life, and between protection and utilization. We must protect historical and cultural heritage with greater intensity, resolutely guard the cultural roots and the soul of the city, and create more literary and artistic masterpieces and cultural brands so that historical culture and modern life are integrated into one.
We must always maintain the core position of benefiting the people. The essence of modernization is the modernization of the individual; this is a prominent hallmark distinguishing Chinese-path modernization from Western modernization. Advancing Chinese-path modernization is anchored in the people's yearning for a better life. More than 30 years ago, Comrade Xi Jinping emphasized that development is for the people. He explicitly pointed out that a modernized city should include "social modernization" and "individual modernization," stressing that "an important characteristic of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the ultimate realization of common prosperity." At the Seventh Fuzhou Municipal Party Congress, he clearly proposed the goal of "striving to double per capita living income for urban residents and per capita net income for farmers within five years." He emphasized that development relies on the people, stating that "fully mobilizing and relying on the masses is a vital driving factor," and required that "all citizens should be clear about the development goals and direction of Fuzhou, so they can participate in the great project of building a modernized international city as masters of the city."
Comrade Xi Jinping led the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government in completing 20 practical tasks for urban and rural residents every year. He promoted the construction of three major "vegetable basket" bases in Lanqi, Nantong, and Nanyu, and implemented the "Broad Mansion," "Settlement," and "Benefit" [10] projects. With heart and soul, he resolved the urgent problems and anxieties of the masses—such as relocating boat-dwellers (lianjiachuanmin) to land, renovating shantytowns, building bridges and roads in mountainous villages, and addressing the schooling difficulties for children of migrant workers—devoting immense effort to the development of people’s livelihoods. These important concepts and practices are integrally connected in their core meaning to the important expositions by General Secretary Xi Jinping since the 18th National Congress, such as "in Chinese-path modernization, people's livelihood is of paramount importance," all of which demonstrate the people-centered development philosophy. Fuzhou adheres to allocating approximately 80% of its annual fiscal expenditure to people's livelihoods. We ensure practical tasks in employment, education, healthcare, elderly care, and childcare are done thoroughly and effectively. We continue to burnish brands such as "Prime Years, Gather in Fuzhou" (employment), "Fu-You Employment," "Blessed City, Happy Elderly," and the "Spring Plan" for disability assistance. Fuzhou has been honored among the first batch of national demonstration cities for the construction of social security prevention and control systems and has achieved "ten consecutive wins" as a National Model City for Dual Support [11]. This teaches us that on the new journey of accelerating the construction of a modernized international city and advancing Chinese-path modernization, we must continue to follow the Party's mass line, respond to the people's new expectations for a better life, and persist in ensuring that children have access to childcare, students to education, workers to earnings, the sick to medical care, the elderly to care, residents to housing, and the vulnerable to support, striving to create high-quality lives.
We must always regard the promotion of green development as a distinct defining feature. How to avoid pollution and environmental damage during development, and how to balance ecological protection with economic and social progress, is a fundamental problem facing the modernization path of every country and city. More than 30 years ago, Comrade Xi Jinping proposed the concept of an ecological city, noting that "the hallmark of a modern and civilized city is that it must be shaded by green trees." He emphasized that "environmental protection is both an economic and a social issue, concerning the long-term interests of the nation and the people," and required that "in reform, opening up, and economic construction, economic, social, and environmental benefits must be well-unified." He advocated for "planting more trees and less grass, so the people do not have to suffer under the sun," vigorously promoting the "Greening Fuzhou" work. He proposed the 16-character [12] water management strategy of "all-Party mobilization, participation by all people, integration of departments and regions, and joint governance," promoting the comprehensive treatment of West Lake and the internal river systems, as well as the construction of flood control projects and comprehensive water environment management in the lower reaches of the Minjiang River. He banned, closed, or ordered the suspension of heavily polluting enterprises and selected the site for the Hongmiaoling Integrated Waste Treatment Plant. These important concepts and practices profoundly reveal the inherent unity between ecological protection and economic development, descending from the same lineage as the construction of a Beautiful China and the comprehensive advancement of modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature since the 18th National Congress. They have led Fuzhou onto a new path of green development. "Greening Fuzhou" and region-wide water management have been continuously deepened; Fuzhou’s forest coverage and air quality rank among the highest for national provincial capitals. It has become a "City of a Thousand Parks" and a "City of Great Beauty," possessing nearly 1,500 parks and 1,800 kilometers of "Fu-Paths" (scenic mountain and water trails). This teaches us that on the new journey, we must always adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization as our guide, firmly establish and actively practice the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, and strive to create more green welfare for the people.
Unswervingly Following the Direction Indicated by General Secretary Xi Jinping to Strive for Excellence in the Construction of Chinese-path Modernization
During his inspection in Fujian, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that Fujian should "strive for excellence in the construction of Chinese-path modernization." Always carrying special affection, special responsibility, a special mission, and a special commitment, Fuzhou takes the in-depth study and implementation of the spirit of the Central Urban Work Conference as an opportunity. We will further inherit and carry forward the important concepts and practices pioneered by General Secretary Xi Jinping during his work in Fuzhou, continue to write the great article of building a modernized international city, and create a new situation for the construction of a modern people’s city. We strive to turn the grand blueprint drawn by General Secretary Xi Jinping for Fuzhou into a beautiful reality, and with solid actions and achievements, firmly uphold the Two Establishments and resolutely achieve the Two Upholds.
Persisting in strengthening momentum through innovation. Only by carefully cultivating an innovation ecosystem, seeking momentum from innovation, and strengthening momentum through innovation can we continuously achieve breakthroughs in developing new quality productive forces and lay a solid foundation for achieving high-quality development. We focus on promoting the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, coordinately advancing the integrated reform of systems and mechanisms for education, science, technology, and talent. We will strengthen the construction of high-level scientific and technological innovation platforms, vigorously develop sci-tech finance, and promote the deep integration of the innovation chain, industrial chain, talent chain, capital chain, and information chain. We will firmly hold onto the real economy, deeply implement the strategy of strengthening the province and the city through the private economy, actively cultivate strategic emerging industries and future industries, develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions, and accelerate the construction of a modernized industrial system.
Persisting in promoting equilibrium through coordination. Placing greater emphasis on overall coordination is an important path based on the new historical position of China's urban development to achieve substantive progress in solidly promoting common prosperity. We focus on promoting regional coordinated development and urban-rural integrated development, unifying the layout of industrial development, infrastructure, and public services across counties, townships, and villages, and accelerating the urbanization of the agricultural transfer population [13]. We will learn from and apply the experience of the "Thousands of Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" Project [14], explore and promote the joint construction and integration of township and village clusters, build the "Fu-Nong Quality Products" regional public brand, and build harmonious villages that are pleasant to live and work in. We will strengthen the coordination of mountains and seas, expand and strengthen the marine economy, and accelerate the construction of a national marine economy development demonstration zone.
Persisting in building the foundation through green development. Focusing on building green and low-carbon beautiful cities and vigorously promoting urban green transformation is an inevitable requirement for adhering to the intensive development of cities and promoting modernization in which humanity and nature coexist in harmony. We will deepen the creation of national ecological civilization demonstration cities and "Two Mountains" bases [15], implement major projects for the protection and restoration of important ecosystems, and build a grand pattern of protection and governance from the mountaintops to the sea. We will deeply implement the ten major actions for carbon peaking, upgrade a batch of circular economy industrial parks such as Hongmiaoling, and accelerate the creation of "waste-free cities" and "zero-carbon cities." We will deeply implement the "Greening Fuzhou" action, strengthen the comprehensive management of the region-wide water system, and continue to burnish the "Ecological Blessed Land, Beautiful Fuzhou" green calling card, striving to make this coastal, landscape-integrated city even more beautiful.
Persisting in expanding space through openness. We rely on reform and opening up to enhance urban momentum, giving full play to the city’s role as a hub in the dual circulation of domestic and international markets, and gathering the power of urban development through the trend of openness. We will deeply integrate into the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road," build high-standard opening platforms such as the Fuzhou Area of the Free Trade Pilot Zone and the China-Indonesia "Two Countries, Twin Parks" project, and construct an important portal, hub, and channel for dual circulation, making an outstanding contribution to building the core area of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. We will solidly promote the construction of the Fuzhou New Area and the Fuzhou Metropolitan Area, leading the city’s development "eastward and southward, along the river and toward the sea." Adhering to the principle of cross-strait integration with Fuzhou taking the lead, we will accelerate the construction of the Fuzhou-Matsu "Same-City Living Circle" and a Strait youth-development-oriented city, creating the primary "homeland of happiness" for Taiwan compatriots, enterprises, and youth to land on the mainland.
Persisting in benefiting people's livelihoods through sharing. We apply the people-oriented urban development concept to every aspect of urban work through solid policy measures, demonstrating the warmth of the city and making life for the people more convenient, comfortable, and beautiful. We will vigorously implement actions to promote income growth for urban and rural residents, continuously improve policies to benefit farmers and enrich the people, and promote common prosperity. We will deepen the construction of close-knit urban-rural education communities and county-level medical communities, improve the three-level elderly care service network (county, township, village), refine the fertility support policy system, and accelerate the construction of an "all-age-friendly" city, ensuring that the "Blessed City" and "Warm Banyan City" (Fuzhou) better benefit the people. We will strengthen the protection, inheritance, and vitalization of historical and cultural heritage, solidly promote the application for World Heritage status, and persist over the long term in enhancing the influence of Min [16] culture and showcasing the new image of Fujian and Fuzhou, building a higher-level culturally strong city.
(The author is the Deputy Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee)
Source: People’s Daily, August 29, 2025, Page 9 Web Editor: Tongxin