Fujian
5.44T yuan GDP (2023, #8); Xiamen 859B yuan (2024 high); 43% of GDP from development zones; Taiwan Strait trade gateway; 3x per capita GDP since 2011.
Fujian's GDP reached 5.44 trillion yuan in 2023 (+4.5%), ranking 8th nationally and among China's fastest-growing regions. The province faces Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait—just miles away—with significant cross-strait commerce that drives trade jobs. Xiamen's GDP hit 859 billion yuan in 2024 (all-time high). Development zones achieved 2.49 trillion yuan GDP (43% of provincial total) with industrial output up 8.6%. Q1 2024 trade reached 501.81 billion yuan (+7.7%). Special economic zones at Xiamen and Fuzhou stimulate foreign investment; Xiamen hosts the annual China International Fair for Investment and Trade. Taiwan's semiconductor dominance makes this strait economically critical—China relies heavily on those chips. The province's per capita GDP reached 129,900 yuan (2023), nearly tripling from 47,900 yuan in 2011. Fujian functions as a trade gateway and processing hub for southern China.