On the morning of June 1, the “Facing the Sea, Flowers Bloom All Year” Xiamen City Theme Day made its grand debut inside the China Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai. The previous afternoon, on May 31, the organizers had already held a rich and engaging pre-event exchange session, setting a positive tone and gathering momentum for the city theme activities.
Entrance of the China Pavilion during the “Fujian Week” at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai
The Xiamen City Theme Day is an important component of the China Pavilion’s “Fujian Week.” The two-day event showcased Xiamen’s urban image and international cooperation opportunities, welcoming representatives from the Xiamen Municipal People’s Government and the Chinese Consul-General in Osaka; officials from Xiamen’s Japanese sister cities, Sasebo and Ginowan; as well as over a hundred guests from foreign national pavilions, multinational associations, enterprises, and the media. The event buzzed with frequent exchanges in a warm and vibrant atmosphere.
At the Event Site
Notably, in the Pavilion’s “lucid waters and lush mountains” exhibition zone, Xiamen’s iconic Yundang Lake was featured as a flagship case of urban ecological governance in China. This Xiamen story of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature became a compelling highlight that attracted many visitors’ attention. During Fujian Week, guests will gain deeper insights into Xiamen’s urban landscape, characterized by the harmonious blend of mountains and sea, and its ecologically livable environment.
Liao Huasheng, Vice Mayor of Xiamen Municipal People’s Government, delivering a speech
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Mayor Liao traced Xiamen’s long-standing ties with Japan to the ancient Maritime Silk Road and to the voyage of the renowned Zen master Yinyuan, who set sail from Xiamen in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties and profoundly influenced early-modern Japanese culture. Today, the connection continues to flourish, with 370 prominent Japanese companies operating in Xiamen and bilateral trade volume reaching USD 5.6 billion.
He pointed out that in 2024, Xiamen’s GDP exceeded USD 120 billion, marking a year-on-year growth of 5.5%. As a city that reflects the achievements of China’s reform and opening-up, Xiamen stands as a vibrant gateway to the world. He expressed hope that Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai will serve as a catalyst for forging more robust and long-term partnerships worldwide, particularly in exploring new frontiers of green economic development.
Xue Jian, Consul General of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Osaka, delivering a speech
Xue Jian, Consul General of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Osaka, stated that over the past 40 years, Xiamen has transformed from a small island on China’s southeastern coast into an international hub facing the world, highly favored by foreign enterprises. This remarkable evolution vividly illustrates China’s institutional strengths.
He noted that Xiamen ranks among the national leaders in ecological civilization and is celebrated as a “garden on the sea.” At the same time, it has emerged as a hub for technological innovation and a vital bridge for China-Japan friendship. Xue cordially invited friends from all sectors in Japan to visit Xiamen, personally experience the profound heritage of Chinese civilization, and witness the vibrant vitality of China in the new era, as both nations work together for an even brighter future in bilateral relations.
Liu Shuo, Deputy Director of the China Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, delivering a speech
Liu Shuo, Deputy Director of the China Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, stated that the China Pavilion presents the ecological wisdom passed down through generations in Chinese civilization, as well as contemporary China’s innovative achievements in green development, making it one of the most popular overseas pavilions at this year’s Expo. Since its opening, the pavilion has received 370,000 visitors, including 4 members of the Japanese Imperial Family and 23 political figures, and has drawn ongoing coverage from 53 mainstream media outlets across 26 countries and regions, including Kyodo News and the Associated Press.
Liu added that Xiamen’s City Theme Day stood out for its rich content and diverse formats, offering a high-quality platform for global engagement. It also vividly demonstrated Xiamen’s open, inclusive spirit and its leadership in innovation, qualities that define the international character of this dynamic coastal city.
Upper: Shinya Nishimoto, Vice Mayor of Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture, delivering a speech
Lower: Atsushi Sakima, Mayor of Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture, delivering a speech
Following these addresses, representatives from Xiamen’s sister cities in Japan, Shinya Nishimoto, Vice Mayor of Sasebo City in Nagasaki Prefecture, and Atsushi Sakima, Mayor of Ginowan City in Okinawa Prefecture, delivered their speeches in succession. Both guests emphasized the historical ties between China and Japan, with Nagasaki and Okinawa holding unique and pivotal positions in this bilateral relationship.
Nishimoto explained that Sasebo City, with a population of about 230,000, is home to renowned attractions such as Saikai National Park and Huis Ten Bosch resort, making it a city widely favored by international tourists. Throughout the 42 years since establishing sister city relations with Xiamen, the two cities have maintained close youth exchanges with fruitful outcomes. Meanwhile, Sakima highly praised the China Pavilion at the Expo for providing innovative solutions for humanity’s future and expressed his hope that Okinawa will continue to play its distinctive role as an important bridge for China-Japan exchanges in the future.
Oka Toyoki, Executive Secretary of the Japan-China Investment Promotion Organization, delivering a speech
Oka Toyoki, Executive Secretary of the Japan-China Investment Promotion Organization, explained that since its establishment in 1990, the organization has been dedicated to facilitating Japanese enterprises’ investment in China and fostering stable, healthy economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. Having lived in China for 20 years, he has gained a profound understanding of China’s development and particularly appreciates Xiamen’s openness and vitality.
Oka said that 2024 has seen frequent bilateral exchanges between the commerce departments of both countries. In February, China’s Ministry of Commerce hosted “Invest in China” foreign investment policy briefings in Tokyo. Xiamen, on its part, hosts the renowned China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT) each September, attracting global entrepreneurs. He sincerely invited Japanese entrepreneurs to visit Xiamen, explore fresh opportunities, and experience the city’s economic vitality firsthand.
Upper: Launch ceremony of “Xiamen City Theme Day”
Lower: Group photo of attending guests
Oka was also among the guests at the pre-event held the previous afternoon. On the afternoon of May 31, the organizers held the “Xiamen-Japan Economic, Trade, Cultural, and Tourism Exchange and Networking Conference” at the Imperial Hotel Osaka. The event featured in-depth discussions on business environments, cultural and tourism resources, and key industries, along with several project signing ceremonies, steps that further deepened China- Japan cooperation.
Scene from the Pre-Event “Xiamen-Japan Economic, Trade, Cultural, and Tourism Exchange and Networking Conference” on May 31
On that day, Xiamen’s Vice Mayor Liao Huasheng, and Jing Chunhai, Director of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Osaka, attended the event, introducing Xiamen Special Economic Zone’s policy advantages and solid cooperation foundation with Japan. Wang Peicheng, Deputy Director of the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Commerce, delivered a special presentation on Xiamen’s business environment; representatives from the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism showcased the city’s iconic natural and cultural attractions, such as Gulangyu Island and Xiamen University.
View of the Networking Conference on May 31
In addition, entrepreneur representatives active in both regions, including Japan Nippon Electric Glass (NEG) Company, Japan-China Investment Promotion Organization, C&D Trading, Inc., and Xiamen Tea Import and Export Co., Ltd., shared their experiences of working and living in Xiamen, discussed challenges faced by Japanese companies, and highlighted potential development opportunities in China. Through these firsthand accounts, attending guests gained a deeper understanding of the prospects for China-Japan business cooperation.
Another view of the Networking Conference on May 31
Throughout Xiamen City Theme Day, an array of artistic performances and cultural exhibitions ran in parallel.
Traditional Min’nan art forms such as Nanyin Music, Gezi Opera, puppet shows, and Kung Fu tea ceremonies were presented in succession, highlighting Xiamen’s deep cultural heritage and vibrant artistic diversity. The audience was enthralled, applauding warmly in appreciation. Meanwhile, the intangible cultural heritage exhibition area displayed traditional Fujian crafts such as lacquer thread sculpture, Stone-Shadow Carving, and Juko Celadon. The exquisite craftsmanship and unique style of the exhibits broadened viewers’ horizons, helping them further understand the vastness and depth of China’s intangible cultural heritage.
Photo of the on-site artistic performances and intangible cultural heritage experiences
According to reports, the “Fujian Week” activities ran from May 30 to June 1, during which Fuzhou City and Xiamen City hosted their respective city theme day activities, and various economic, trade, and cultural promotion projects were held in Osaka and other locations. The events comprehensively demonstrated Xiamen’s openness and development potential as an international port city, while also injecting fresh Xiamen wisdom into the China Pavilion’s proposed concept of “Building a Community of Life for Man and Nature — Future Society of Green Development.”
