BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has instructed Xiamen Airlines to play an active role in serving economic and social development and advancing exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the instructions in a reply letter to the staff members of the airline on the occasion of its 40th founding anniversary.

Xiamen, a coastal city on the western side of the Strait, is at the forefront of cross-Strait exchanges and integration.

During his tenure as vice mayor of the city, Xi helped Xiamen Airlines solve a number of problems during its initial development stage.

In the letter, Xi said he is pleased to see that Xiamen Airlines, which started from scratch, has achieved leapfrog development over the past four decades.

Xi called on the staff members to stay committed to reform and innovation, enhance the airline's core competitiveness, and contribute more to advancing the high-quality development of civil aviation and boosting China's strength in transportation.

Established in July 1984, Xiamen Airlines is the first airline in China to operate under a modern corporate system. It currently operates more than 400 domestic and international air routes, serving nearly 40 million passengers annually.