XiamenAir opens non-stop service between Paris and Xiamen

XiamenAir flight officially debuted last week its non-stop service between Xiamen and Paris' Charles De Gaulle Airport. The weekly round-trip route features Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners every Thursday.

Flights to Paris depart Xiamen at 12:05 a.m. (local time) and arrive in Paris at 6:40 a.m. (local time). Flight to Xiamen depart from Paris at 11:55 a.m. (local time) and arrive in Xiamen at 6:00 a.m. (local time) the next day.

XiamenAir currently operates 12 intercontinental air routes. The airline offers 42 international passenger routes. Future plans call for a new route between Xiamen and Doha.

Officials from the civil aviation department of Xiamen's transportation bureau noted that international sightseeing and business travel demand increased dramatically this year.

A delegation of more than 20 international students from the Institute of Urban Environment of the Chinese Academy of Science and from Xiamen University paid an official visit to Zhongshan road last week. Activities included visits to the Zhongshan Road Museum and neighborhood communities. The Xiamen Science and Technology Bureau, the administrative committee of the Xiamen Torch Hi-tech Zone and the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau organized the event.

Officials from Xiamen's Commerce bureau announced last week that more than 160 locally-based firms participated in the city's Expanding Markets through Extensive Overseas Exhibitions initiative in May and June. Local companies participated in 26 overseas exhibitions in industries such as stone, sanitary ware, clothing, footwear and food.

Local authorities announced earlier this month that the Xiamen-Kinmen route has officially carried more than 20 million passengers since its modern inception in 2008. Local authorities identified Cai Bikai, a mainland Chinese individual who resides in Taiwan, as the traveler who officially became the route's 20 millionth passenger.

According to statistics, the Xiamen-Kinmen route accounts for about 90 percent of the total passenger flow along the Mini Three-Links, the official term for postal, trade and transportation links between the mainland cities of Xiamen, Mawei and Quanzhou and the cities of Kinmen and Matsu.

XICEC representatives announced last week that the center's new Venue D officially opened on July 7. The new venue includes facilities for large-scale conferences, exhibitions, banquets, activities, sports events and performances. Officials said that the site's design conforms with the center's other venues and reflects the traditional southern Fujian architectural features.

Xiamen last week hosted a delivery ceremony for 70 King Long buses that will be put in service for the Hangzhou Asian Games. Officials added during the ceremony that multiple after-sales service teams will provide assistance during the sporting event.

The local Development and Reform Commission recently held a press conference to unveil a suite of events for Xiamen's campaign to promote energy conservation. The 33rd week-long national campaign to promote energy conservation launched on Monday. 

Xiamen is organizing a variety of energy conservation publicity events throughout the month of July. In addition to this week's launch ceremony, activities include an online energy-saving knowledge contest and a collection of conservation-related video shorts.

Local transportation authorities announced recently that a total of 31 online ride-hailing platforms have licenses to operate in Xiamen, with 19 companies currently active. The companies collectively include 47,000 licensed ride-hailing vehicles and 137,000 licensed drivers.

More than a million local commuters request approximately 510,000 combined daily trips. Xiamen ranked second earlier this year in a Ministry of Transport assessment of compliance rates for online car-hailing orders.

Unusually high temperatures this summer triggered an early onset for the city's peak season for water usage. Xiamen's maximum daily water supply may surpass 1.8 million tons, with Haicang and Xiangan experiencing a more substantial surge.

Electricity consumption also jumped, with Xiamen's electricity load peaking at 6.5 million kilowatts on June 21, a new record for the year. Xiamen's highest daily electricity load is expected to top 7.1 million kilowatts this year. 

Air travel surged recently on the strength of summer vacation for younger travelers and families. More than 50,000 parents with infants traveled through Xiamen Airport in the first six months of the year, nearly twice the number from last year. Airport officials announced a number of family-friendly services in response.

The Jimei University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Practice Base recently made its official debut in Xiamen Science City. The base includes entrepreneurial mentor teams from Jimei University and the Jianpandetao Technology Park. The teams are tasked with providing assistance to startups in clarifying their entrepreneurial ideas.

Authorities said that the base is designed to boost services and aid recent university graduates. Officials said that the base will foster a robust local talent pool and contribute to the economic growth of Jimei New Town.

The district of Siming hosted on July 4 at the Banlam Grand Theater the opening ceremony of this year's Xiamen (Siming) Music Season and Mao Zedong Poetry Symphony Concert. Professor Zheng Xiaoying, China's first female opera orchestra conductor and educator, served as the artistic director of the opening concert.