Ecological　indicators　have　widespread　appeal　to　scientists,　environmental　managers,　and　the　general　public.　Remote　sensing　is　unique　in　its　capability　to　record　variety　of　spatio-temporal　information　on　land　surface　with　complete　coverage,　especially　with　regard　to　larger　spatial　scales,　which　has　been　proven　to　be　an　effective　data　source　to　create　indicators　to　rapidly　identify　regional　eco-environment.　In　this　paper,　a　new　index,　remote　sensing　based　ecological　index　(RSEI)　based　on　the　pressure-state-response　(PSR)　framework,　was　applied　to　assess　regional　ecological　changes　in　Fuzhou　City　of　Fujian　Province,　southeastern　China,　using　Landsat　ETM+/OLI/TIRS　images.　Taking　the　advantages　of　being　totally　free　of　artificial　interference　in　the　calculation　using　principal　components　analysis　(PCA)　to　assign　weights　of　each　variable,　the　RSEI　can　assess　the　regional　ecological　status　more　objectively　and　easily.　The　effectivity　of　the　new　index　was　validated　by　four　approaches,　including　point-based,　classification-based,　correlation-based,　and　urban-rural-gradient-based　comparisons.　The　case　study　showed　that　Fuzhou　has　witnessed　ecological　improvement　during　the　study　period,　with　the　value　of　RSEI　increasing　from　0.663　in　2000　to　0.675　in　2016.　Spatial　variation　analysis　showed　that　the　poor　level　of　RSEI　distributed　mostly　in　the　central　urban　areas,　and　the　ecological　degradation　was　attributed　to　the　fast　expansion　of　the　built-up　area,　characterized　by　increasing　greatly　in　the　value　of　the　normalized　differential　built　up　and　soil　index　(NDBSI)　in　such　areas.