Fujian province, one of China's best-known hometowns of overseas Chinese, is the ancestral home of more than 20 million people of Fujian origin living across over 190 countries and regions.

Lee Teck Anm, a native of Putian in Fujian, founded Singapore-Johore Express in 1947 as the first direct bus service between Singapore and Johor. Before its launch, travelers between Singapore and Johor relied on time-consuming and inconvenient ferry crossings. Running from Singapore's Queen Street to Malaysia's Johor Bahru, the route quickly became popular and has remained in operation for nearly 80 years.

Foo Choo Choon, a native of Longyan in Fujian, was a prominent tin mining entrepreneur in Southeast Asia. His businesses helped expand tin mining, transportation, smelting, and tinware manufacturing in cities including Ipoh and Penang, contributing to local economic growth. Ipoh's Jalan Foo Choo Choon was named in his honor in recognition of his outstanding contributions.

Lim Peng Siang, originally from Longxi county in Fujian, was a prominent Singapore businessman and philanthropist who donated substantial sums to expand Raffles Institution in 1903 and supported the construction of the Chinese High School in 1920. Singapore later named Peng Siang Quay after him in recognition of his outstanding contributions to society.

Lim Boon Keng, whose ancestral home was in Haicheng county, established Singapore's first rubber plantation in 1896, helping lay the foundation for the region's rise as a global rubber production center. Remembered as a physician, reformer, educator, and entrepreneur, he is commemorated in Singapore with roads and a transit station bearing his name.