EW Visits Xiamen

A journey though Xiamen, a city off the coast of East China

In May, while returning from the World Elevator & Escalator Expo in Guangzhou, China (ELEVATOR WORLD, August 2012), your reporter paid a visit to Xiamen (also known as Amoy), a seaport city on an island off the coast of East China in the Fujian Province. Xiamen borders Guandong to the south and Taiwan to the east beyond the Strait, and is located opposite to the Jinmen Islands. The visit was the first for EW, and included several meetings with local elevator and escalator companies.

During my travels I encountered an outdoor escalator installed by SJEC about 10 years ago. The escalator provides access to the ferry entrance and appeared loaded with passengers at all times. Both major elevator companies and local contractors contribute to the installation and maintenance of elevator equipment throughout Xiamen. According to Wang Yadong, manager of Yanghan Elevator Engineering, the Elevator Field Employees’ Safety Handbook from Elevator World, Inc. has helped the company streamline its safety management. Your reporter also met with Wu Yuehui, manager of Wellift, who said most of his elevator customers are from southeast Asia, and the equipment he supplies overseas is sourced from Chinese component manufacturers. The central part of Xiamen is connected to the mainland with bridges and an 8-km-long underwater tunnel for motor vehicles. Zhongshan Road features traditional shops and is free from vehicle traffic. One cannot visit Xiamen without touring Gulangyu, a walk-only island located near downtown Xiamen. Motor vehicles are prohibited in Gulangyu. Wooden handcarts were the only wheeled transportation until recently, when battery-powered carriages were approved for business and tourism. With a population of approximately 20,000, Gulangyu has several historical buildings from various cultures. Many refer to the island as a building museum due to its diverse architectural styles. The construction industry in Xiamen has been on the rise, and Haicang District, located southwest of Xiamen island, has potential for new construction sites, as many high-rise buildings can be seen beyond the sea from Gulanyu Island.