As the world turns its gaze toward this town of mountains and seas, Siming District, Xiamen has truly exploded onto the global scene. Recently, “Siming Through Foreign Eyes,” a column launched by the Fujian-based Siming News, has surged in popularity on Chinese and international media platforms.
The column invited creators from Russia, the United States, Poland, France, and other countries, as well as international students living in Xiamen, to explore the cultural heritage, urban landscape, industrial vitality, and warmth of everyday life in Siming through an international lens. Breaking through local communication barriers, the column achieved a worldwide, cross-cultural reach surpassing 30 million total online exposures. Content was liked and shared by official accounts, including those of the Chinese Embassies in France and Russia.
The column spotlights numerous international friends residing in Siming to delve into subjects such as non-tangible cultural heritage, cultural tourism, film arts, and the evolution of eras.
The participants are Russian student Varvara Petrenko; American Jack; Polish girl Karolina; Carole, a French teacher from Xiamen University; and William N. Brown, an American professor who has lived in Xiamen for over 30 years. Through their eyes, audiences will experience a different side of Siming.
Xiamen is a strategic node city in the core area of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Against the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative, its central urban area, Siming district, continues to radiate its “energy” through its profound cultural foundations. At the Jinbang Academy, Varvara Petrenko learned Hokkien for the first time. It is more than just a language; it is a bond of emotion and memory for the people of southern Fujian. Dressed in a traditional Chinese garment called a Hanfu, she strolled through the ancient academy grounds, experienced the local intangible cultural heritage of tea-drinking customs and sat quietly at a “tea table” to savor the refined elegance of local Minnan street life.
Varvara Petrenko said, “In Russia, I love lying on the grass in parks and reading books. “In Xiamen, this academy in the park lets me fully immerse myself in Chinese culture.”
Siming is a high-quality, modern, international urban district with a unique blend of natural scenery and cityscape that is irresistible to countless foreign visitors. The harmony of mountains, sea, and greenery is embodied by Siming, from the “sky forest” of the Xiamen Mountain-To-Sea Trail’s Linhai Section to the eclectic arcade buildings blending Chinese and Western styles; from the fishing village memories of Zengcuoan and the delightful taste of misua paste to the ecological governance achievements of egrets flying in unison over Yundang Lake.
Jack exclaimed, “After more than 30 years of comprehensive treatment, who would have thought that Yundang Lake would become a paradise for egrets, demonstrating the perfect coexistence of humans and nature?”
You can touch the handprints of film stars along Star Coast, feel the district’s film and cultural tourism industry, visit the filming locations of popular TV dramas, and witness the artistic rebirth of old fishing ports where vintage meets trendy. Siming seamlessly integrates coastal scenery, film tourism, and urban renewal. This integration showcases the district’s unique competitive advantage in cultural tourism and commerce, further solidifying Xiamen’s reputation as the host city of the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival.
Polish film enthusiast Karolina said, “Siming itself is a ‘city of light and shadow.’ As a filmmaker, I simply want to be a good recorder of Siming’s stories. Siming taught me to live through the eyes of a filmmaker.”
Take an immersive journey through Siming’s streets, commercial hubs, neighborhoods, and coastal promenades, from the first light of dawn to the brilliance of starry nights. Capture the morning bustle of everyday life, the vibrant energy of the day, and the dazzling nightscapes. From a foreign perspective, interpret Siming’s livability, travel appeal, and business-friendly character. Delicately portray the happiness of ordinary citizens, making well-being tangible and relatable.
Carole, a French teacher at Xiamen University, said: “Siming is not only about the local atmosphere of daily life, but also about the poetic spirit cultivated by literature and the strength to push forward.”
Spanning 38 years from 1988 to today, Xiamen’s urban construction has constantly evolved. The city’s leapfrog development in business, education, urban planning, and many other fields has been driven by the countless hardworking people in Xiamen.
“It is my great honor to have not only been a bystander, but also a participant for these 38 years,” said William N. Brown, his voice filled with emotion. “I have only one regret: that I didn’t come to Siming earlier. I witnessed a miracle, and I became part of it.”
Paul, a Russian AI technology enthusiast, visited the OPC Symbiosis Community Mobile Unit AI Innovation Incubation Base in Software Park Phase II—Fujian’s first. There, he toured exhibitions with robots, listened to Yang Yang, an AI comic entrepreneur, talk about how ample computing power in the OPC community supports creative work, exchanged ideas with Li Junpu, the founder of Qingchuang Robotics, about the support that Siming District provides, and learned about OPC with Shen Yan, the co-founder.
“The faster technology develops, the more precious human connections become,” Paul reflected. “In this community, AI is just a tool. Symbiosis and mutual support are what truly matter.”
The “Siming Through Foreign Eyes” column is intended to be a long-term, flagship IP for Siming’s international outreach. It will accumulate quality global content and attract talent, investors, and tourists from around the world who want to experience and discover Siming. Overseas netizens have left comments such as: “Through Jack’s eyes, I saw a vibrant, modern Siming in Xiamen,” and “Thank you for showing us that China has such a beautiful city.”
These expressions of admiration and praise, crossing vast mountains and seas, serve as the ultimate testament to the charm of Siming.
