Zhangzhou G228 National Scenic Highway of the West Pacific

The G228 is one of mainland China’s most significant coastal corridors. Spanning 233 kilometers through the narrow coastal zone of Zhangzhou, this section serves as the city’s “development lifeline”, interconnecting world-class coastal resources including volcanic landforms, the Minnan–Taiwan cultural zone, and scenic capes along the West Pacific. Traversing through six national estuarine nature reserves totaling 870 km², it serves the city with nine districts and 770 villages, functioning as a strategic corridor for advancing ecological conservation and economic growth.

However, Zhangzhou’s historically inward-focused urban development mode has constrained its coastal expansion, where infrastructural deficits and branding gaps have impeded the emergence of a distinctive coastal tourism identity. Meanwhile, basic infrastructure shortfalls in rural areas along the highway have limited coastal economic potential.

To address these challenges, the project proposes three integrated strategies:

1. Rebranding the Coastline: Globalizing Zhangzhou’s Maritime Identity

Key tourism resources are curated into four themed sections, forming a world-class cultural tourism corridor. A cohesive visual identity system strengthens Zhangzhou’s unique coastal brand and global visibility.

2. From Linear Highway to Economic Development Belt

A “mountain-sea” branch route system connects key attractions with inland villages. Smart service hubs integrate highway facilities with rural amenities, forming a tree-structured service network that stimulates coastal economic revitalization.

3. Transforming Grey Infrastructure into Ecological Connector

The main highway evloves into a multifunctional ecological corridor, linking ecological resources through curated scenic routes. Wildlife observation areas are distributed to prevent human-ecology conflicts while emphasizing conservation values.

Grounded in ESG principles and enhanced by geospatial technologies, the project introduces a world-class scenic highway evaluation system and encourages long-term public participation. The Zhangzhou section of G228 becomes a model for transforming grey infrastructure into a multifunctional green corridor—redefining Zhangzhou as a city embracing its maritime destiny.