Special economic zones, the vanguard of China's economic reform and opening-up, should take the lead to seek an environment-friendly and energy-efficient growth, chairman Jia Qinglin of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference said on Friday.

Special economic zones need not only to continuously exist but also to cherish a better development, Jia said at a gala in this coastal city of southeast China's Fujian Province to mark the 25th anniversary of founding of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone.

Jia, leader of the country's top advisory body, said the Xiamen Special Economic Zone must seize time to improve its innovation capability and set an example for other regions.

Now that Xiamen is separated from Taiwan Province only by a strip of water, he urged this economically booming city to make greater contributions to the country's reunification cause by facilitating trade and cultural exchanges between Fujian and Taiwan. China has designated five special economic zones, namely Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, Xiamen and Hainan since 1980.

Source: Xinhua