Above ground, the construction of Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport is in full swing; below ground, utility tunnels buried underground serve as "arteries" providing strong support for the airport construction. Relying on underground utility tunnels, centralized laying and unified management of pipelines are achieved, freeing roads from "road zippers" and "aerial spider webs."

　　The construction of underground utility tunnels is a microcosm of Xiamen's comprehensive deepening of reform. In 2015, Xiamen successfully applied to become a "National Pilot City for Underground Utility Tunnels." In recent years, in conjunction with the construction of key development zones, the renovation of old residential communities, and subway construction, Xiamen has comprehensively advanced the construction of underground utility tunnels. To date, it has cumulatively built 122 kilometers of utility tunnels and 475 kilometers of cable tunnels, with over 1,900 kilometers of pipelines entering the tunnels. The scale of completed and operational utility tunnels ranks first in the province. The Jimei Utility Tunnel and the Dongshan Transformer Underground Utility Tunnel projects were rated as excellent cases by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in 2023.

       The "Xiamen Model" of utility tunnel construction and management leads the country and has been exported across provinces.

　　Entering the utility tunnel operation and maintenance center in the Xiang'an Airport area, data on equipment operation and environmental safety monitoring of each utility tunnel are updated in real time, providing a precise data basis for tunnel operation and maintenance; inside the tunnels, operation and maintenance personnel holding infrared imagers and other professional inspection equipment conduct refined inspections of various urban "lifelines," the tunnel structures, and ancillary facilities.

      Currently, the Xiang'an Airport area plans about 35 kilometers of underground utility tunnels and about 65 kilometers of cable tunnels, forming a multi-level utility tunnel system of "trunk, branch, and cable" tiers. These utility tunnel projects provide a safe and stable "environment" for various pipelines, serve as important guarantee channels for water, electricity, gas, and other pipelines in the Xiang'an Airport area, and also provide strong support for the stable supply of Xiang'an New City.