East China's coastal province of Fujian started to issue a new integrated work permit-social security card to foreign people in the city of Xiamen on Thursday.
Foreign people working in the city may go to designated banks with their passports to go through a quick registration process, and then will receive a physical card after a waiting period of about 20 minutes. The card makes necessary work permit-related procedures more streamlined and provides them with easier access to services.
Starting January 2025, foreign people in Xiamen will be able to apply for the card at six designated service points at the Bank of China's Xiamen branches.
"Foreign people can use this card to access related information. They can also enjoy services such as the city's transportation and tourism integrated pass. In the next phase, the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security will expand this service to 16 bank branches across the city, making it easier for more foreign people to obtain the card," said Li Yunpeng, director of the foreign employment division of the bureau.
China's Fujian Province issues integrated work permit-social security card to foreign workers
China is accelerating the commercialization of marine scientific and technological achievements and fostering new quality productive forces by boosting support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the marine sector, with a focus on investment and financing to drive industry growth.
The development of marine industries is marked by substantial investments, high risks, and slow returns. However, with strong national support, some companies, such as Zhejiang Startest Marine Science and Technology Co., Ltd. in east China, have achieved notable success.
The company is a national high-tech enterprise specializing in the independent research and development of underwater sonar detection equipment and underwater information data systems.
It now holds more than 210 intellectual property rights for its designs.
"We are now fully capable of replacing similar foreign imported products with our own ones, thereby overcoming the bottleneck in production caused by foreign product embargoes," said Su Xiaoyang, president of Zhejiang Startest Marine Science and Technology Co., Ltd.
While some marine SMEs, such as Shenzhen HiCloud Data Center Technology Co., Ltd., China's first underwater data center equipment and service provider, have mastered core technologies, a gap remains compared to international standards. As a result, continuous investment is necessary for them to overcome critical technological challenges.
"The Underwater Data Center Pilot Project is a new infrastructure initiative requiring a significant initial investment and scale effects. However, both users and investors in the market still lack a comprehensive understanding of the project's strategic significance, including the technical risks associated with emerging technologies," said Pu Ding, general manager of the Underwater Data Center Pilot Project in Hainan under Shenzhen HiCloud Data Center Technology Co., Ltd.
To address the challenges faced by marine SMEs in securing investment and financing, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), along with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, has organized a series of roadshows since 2016. Over 200 marine SMEs and innovation teams have participated, securing more than 3 billion yuan (around 409.8 million U.S. dollars) in financing.
In addition to these efforts, the MNR, in collaboration with the Shanghai Stock Exchange, launched China Ocean Economy Stock Price Index in 2024, covering 20 marine and related industries.
"This is the first domestic comprehensive index in the marine sector, covering all the markets of Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing, and Hong Kong. It provides timely insights into the operational performance of listed companies in the marine industry and plays an important role in promoting the efficient allocation of financial capital to the marine real economy," said Feng Lei, deputy director of the Ocean Strategic Planning and Economic Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Small marine firms accelerate commercialization of sci-tech achievements under greater policy support
