中国·福州——热爱城市从热爱美食开始

Signing Ceremony for the Investment Promotion Project (Photo by Reporter Bao Hua)

This is a Spring Festival Tea Gathering with rich implications. On the morning of March 8, a grand feast was prepared for the guests, featuring delightful dishes like fragrant steamed large yellow croaker, smooth and juicy fish balls and pork wonton, and crispy yet tender ribbon fish kelp rolls.

Overseas Chinese leaders and respected figures returning to visit their families, as well as dynamic local entrepreneurs and business association representatives gathered around the tables, enjoying hometown delicacies while sharing business experiences.

The reporter personally experienced three different implications at the 2025 Lianjiang County Spring Festival Tea Gathering and the “World’s Fishing Capital · Lianma Family Banquet” and “One County, One Table of Dishes” Tasting Event.

Implication 1: Remarkable Achievements

Projects support new development

Lianjiang has secured a batch of “golden projects” at the start of the Year of the Snake.

Thanks to the continuous optimization of the business environment and the improvement of industrial infrastructure, Lianjiang has successfully attracted a series of excellent and large-scale projects, such as the Hengshen Global R&D Center and Integrated New Materials Project, the Longyuan Matsu Island Offshore Wind Farm Energy Storage Station Project, and the Lianma Seafood Deep Processing Project.

At the Spring Festival Tea Gathering, 36 projects were signed, covering fields such as new chemical materials, marine renewable energy, and seafood deep processing, with a total investment of more than 20 billion yuan, injecting strong momentum into Lianjiang’s high-quality development.

A strong start to the year is a result of the efforts made in the previous year. The entire county of Lianjiang has united and worked hard, achieving impressive results. Lianjiang has once again ranked among the top 100 counties in China for high-quality development, GDP, and growth potential, and among the top 10 counties in Fujian for economic strength.

“Strong enterprises lead to a strong economy, and thriving enterprises contribute to the prosperity of Lianjiang,” said a relevant official from Lianjiang County. Looking back at the past year, the stability of economic development can largely be attributed to the efforts of enterprises. Enterprises across various sectors in Lianjiang have played a pivotal role in driving economic growth and maintaining stable employment. Notably, private enterprises, which make up more than 90% of the market entities, contribute over 50% of the tax revenue, 60% of the regional GDP, and 80% of local employment. The advancement of innovation and creativity is primarily seen in enterprises. Over the past year, Lianjiang County has added 7 newly recognized provincial-level specialized and sophisticated SMEs that produce novel and unique products and 18 innovative SMEs. These positive figures clearly demonstrate the dedication and contribution of enterprises.

Implication 2: Ambition and Determination

Enterprises work together to seek further upgrades

At the Spring Festival Tea Gathering, representatives of Lianjiang’s entrepreneurs gathered to explore ways to further promote the region’s prosperity. The air was filled with a strong sense of ambition and determination.

Lianjiang, known as the “Hometown of Fish Balls in China,” boasts 14 fish ball production companies, with 7 of them being “Key Enterprises in the Fish Ball Capital of China.” The fish balls are exported to more than 20 countries and regions, achieving the remarkable feat that “One out of every four fish balls in China comes from Lianjiang.”

Chen Yiqian, President of the Lianjiang Fish Ball Association and General Manager of Fujian Qiuguanlang Food Co., Ltd., is keenly aware of the challenge behind the fish ball industry’s impressive achievements, namely, to strike a balance between maintaining traditional flavors and driving product innovation and upgrades. “We need to encourage enterprises to increase investment in research and development, use modern technological methods to improve production processes, and develop new products that meet different market needs, such as low-fat, high-protein, and organic fish balls, to cater to consumers’ diverse and healthy dietary preferences.” Chen Yiqian said, people’s dietary habits have shifted from simply aiming to be full and eat well to focusing on eating healthily. “Products derived from marine ingredients will represent a huge market demand.”

At the Spring Festival Tea Gathering, the main topic of conversation among entrepreneur representatives was how to develop internationally renowned brands. Chen Weiyu, Chairman of H'MASTON, stated that Lianjiang has excellent marine resources and high-quality products, but its brand influence still needs to be strengthened. “We need to learn from the branding strategies of internationally renowned brands, utilizing platforms such as international food festivals and fisheries exhibitions to showcase the charm of Lianjiang’s cuisine and unique marine products. By offering engaging cultural performances and professional explanations, we aim to help people appreciate the cultural value and craftsmanship behind the products, facilitating the delicacies of Lianjiang to go global and boosting the county’s international standing and reputation.”

Implication 3: Lianma Delicacies

The family banquet gives rise to an industrial chain

The rich flavor of crab roe mixed with the sweet aroma of glutinous rice, complemented by dried scallops and green peas... As the steaming glutinous rice with crab was brought to the table, Lin Tianmin, a native of Mazu, took a bite immediately. “That’s it!” he said passionately.

As you open the menu, a variety of dishes are dazzlingly displayed, including Kung Fu Mudskippers, Capitulum Mitella in Sesame Oil, Steamed Large Yellow Croaker, Eight Delicacies of the Fishing Capital, Glutinous Rice with Crab, Fish Ball and Pork Wonton, Matsu Drunken Abalone, and many more, all tempting and mouthwatering.

This renowned “Lianma Family Banquet” was created by a team of renowned chefs from Fuzhou and Lianjiang. After several rounds of refinement, it combines traditional Fujian cuisine with modern cooking techniques and artistic plating, presenting a modern take on Fujian dishes and Lianjiang flavors.

“Lianjiang is the world’s fishing capital, boasting a wealth of high-quality seafood products. ‘Lianma Family Banquet’ is made from Lianjiang’s distinctive ingredients, blending elements from both Lianjiang and Matsu. It is a feast of mountain and sea delicacies, expertly prepared using a variety of cooking techniques,” said Chen Weijie, Chinese Master Chef, and Secretary-General of the Fuzhou Catering and Cuisine Industry Association.

The “Lianma Family Banquet” has long been more than just a meal.

From fresh ingredients like abalone and kelp to refined processed products such as fine wines, the “Lianma Family Banquet” has gradually given rise to a complete industrial chain. “With the ‘Lianma Family Banquet’ as a platform, we can reach the global stage more quickly and effectively, further boosting the ‘Hailianjiang’ brand.” Lin Zhuohua, Chairman of Zhuangchen Group, is full of expectations for the new year. He plans to collaborate with Matsu Liquor Factory Industry to develop high-quality alcohol products and create a new brand. (Fuzhou Daily Reporters: Lan Yuping, Feng Xuezhu; Correspondent: Ye Jianlong)