Xiamen released the draft of its "Beautiful Xiamen" strategic plan during the China International Forum for Mayors of Friendship Cities held on Sept 8.

For the first time the plan outlines the goals and development path for Xiamen in the coming years.

Xiamen is adopting a more sustainable development model to provide better life for its residence by transforming the local economy, improving management systems and adopting environment-friendly policies, said the blueprint.

The goal is to make Xiamen "an example of beautiful China by the end of 2021", the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

Xiamen residents can then have a better living standard with doubled per capital GDP, better air quality and longer average life expectancy, said the plan.

Xiamen will move on to establish itself "as an example of the Chinese Dream in 2049", the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Other goals include making Xiamen an internationally well-known garden city, the center of southern Fujian province, the gateway in cross-Straits communication and "an open city filled with happiness".

To achieve the goals, Xiamen will enhance cooperation with Zhangzhou, Quanzhou and Taiwan in the economy, tourism, cultural exchanges, education and medical care systems.

Su Zhou / China Daily

(China Daily 10/10/2013 page6)