Read in Chinese

Speakers: 

Mr. Liu Xiaoming, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Hainan Provincial Committee and governor of Hainan province

Ms. Xie Jing, vice governor of Hainan province and director general of the Hainan Provincial Department of Science and Technology

Mr. Guan Jirong, deputy secretary-general of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee and executive vice director of the Office of the Hainan Free Trade Port Working Committee

Mr. Chen Jiyang, deputy secretary-general of the People's Government of Hainan Province and director general of the Hainan Provincial Department of Business Environment Development

Chairperson:

Ms. Xing Huina, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

April 11, 2024

Xing Huina:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, we are holding the ninth briefing in the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." We have invited Mr. Liu Xiaoming, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Hainan Provincial Committee and governor of Hainan province, to brief you on deepening reform and opening-up across the board, and accelerating the development of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics and global influence. He will also take your questions. Also joining us today are Ms. Xie Jing, vice governor of Hainan province and director general of the Hainan Provincial Department of Science and Technology; Mr. Guan Jirong, deputy secretary-general of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee and executive vice director of the Office of the Hainan Free Trade Port Working Committee; and Mr. Chen Jiyang, deputy secretary-general of the People's Government of Hainan Province and director general of the Hainan Provincial Department of Business Environment Development.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Liu for his introduction.

Liu Xiaoming:

Good morning. It’s a great pleasure to meet you here. First of all, on behalf of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee and the Hainan provincial government, I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude for your long-term interest in and support for Hainan. 

April 13 marks the sixth anniversary of General Secretary Xi Jinping's announcement of establishing the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP). Over the past six years, we have consistently adhered to the principle of serving the national strategies with high-level opening-up and driving Hainan's high-quality development. An initial FTP policy system has been established, with the main framework focusing on trade, investment, cross-border capital flows, personnel mobility, free and convenient transportation, and the safe, orderly flow of data. The construction of the Hainan FTP has taken shape and gained momentum, serving as both a booster and an accelerator for Hainan's high-quality development. General Secretary Xi Jinping has successively affirmed Hainan's progress with expressions like "smooth start," "vigorous progress," "significant advancements," and "vibrant thriving." During his inspection tour to Hainan in 2022, the general secretary called for accelerating the development of Hainan into a free trade port with Chinese characteristics and global influence, turning Hainan into a paradigm of reform and opening-up in the new era, and shaping it into a landmark showcasing Chinese splendor. 

Last year, several economic and social indicators in Hainan displayed growth rates that ranked among the top in the country. Specifically, Hainan's GDP increased by 9.2%, the value-added of industries above designated size grew by 18.5%, and the per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents went up by 6.3% and 8.3%, respectively. Trade in goods and services, reflecting the FTP's economic performance, increased by 15.3% and 29.6%, respectively. Moreover, Hainan's opening-up involved two-way engagement, with imports accounting for around two-thirds and outbound direct investment surging by 104.9%, allowing the world to share in the development opportunities presented by Hainan and China. 

Currently, we're coordinating the preparations for achieving independent customs operations with economic and social development, and conducting various stress tests for these operations. We are striving to play a more significant leading role in promoting high-level opening-up, accelerating high-quality development, and enhancing the tangible benefits gained from a high-quality life. By doing so, we aim to better serve and integrate into the new development pattern and celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China with outstanding accomplishments.

First, we will drive high-level opening-up through the construction of the Hainan FTP. We will fully leverage the role of the FTP as a comprehensive pilot platform for reform and opening-up, focus on innovative reforms and pioneering opening-up strategies, and introduce a number of integrated institutional innovations with broader significance and greater influence. We will take the lead in aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules, conducting thorough stress tests, and promoting dynamic upgrading, optimization, and effectiveness of Hainan FTP policies. 

Second, we will empower the establishment of a modern industrial system with new quality productive forces. We have made the tough decision to break away from the economy's dependence on real estate and accelerated the establishment of Hainan's characteristic modern industrial system, described as"4 plus 3 plus 3." The "4" refers to vigorously developing the tourism industry, modern services, high-tech industry, and characteristic high-efficiency tropical agriculture. The contribution of these four leading industries to the province's GDP has increased by over 10 percentage points since 2018. The first "3" involves forward-looking arrangements for the three future industries of Nanfan, or seed breeding in South China , deep-sea technology, and commercial aerospace, creating an important practice base for developing new quality productive forces. The second "3" refers to effectively reclaiming overseas consumption in three areas: high-end shopping, healthcare and education.

Third, we will make coordinated efforts to advance the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent. We will solidify the development of basic education and enhance its openness, promote the high-quality and balanced development of basic education, and strive for leapfrog development in higher education. By doing so, we aim to expedite the construction of an international education innovation island and explore a path for high-level opening-up in China's education sector. We will create dual hubs for sci-tech innovation and institutional reform and focus on achieving technological breakthroughs in areas such as biological breeding, ocean observation, and the application of satellite big data. In addition, we will expand international sci-tech exchange and cooperation and accelerate the reform of the property rights system reform for sci-tech advancements. By 2025, we aim to achieve the goal of attracting a million talents to Hainan.

Fourth, we are promoting coordinated regional development by treating the entire province as a single entity and promoting the integrated development of the island. We upgrade three economic circles, namely the Haikou Economic Circle, the Sanya Economic Circle, and the Danzhou-Yangpu Economic Circle. We also connect coastal cities with the Hainan Island Ring Road Tourism Highway and form a synergy with central ecological conservation areas among mountains to enhance overall development momentum.

Fifth, we are accelerating green and low-carbon transformation by striving to be a model in achieving the dual carbon goals. We regard the protection of the ecological environment as the top priority for Hainan. Therefore, we are continuously implementing landmark projects such as the Tropical Rainforest National Park, promoting clean energy islands and clean energy vehicles, banning plastics, advancing prefabricated construction, enhancing integrated water management, and developing the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone . Hainan aims to take the lead nationwide and make more contributions by establishing ocean carbon sinks and promoting green and low-carbon initiatives.

Sixth, we are expediting efforts to address inadequacies in public well-being from the perspective of development. This involves increasing investment in people's livelihoods, continuously introducing high-quality education and medical resources, ensuring that children have access to quality education nearby, and ensuring that residents can receive medical treatment locally for both minor and major ailments. We aim to convert the surge in business entities and investment project development brought about by the policies of the FTP into more high-quality employment opportunities, thus enhancing residents' sense of gain as we develop the FTP.

That's all for my introduction. Next, my colleagues and I will be happy to answer your questions. Thank you, everyone!