Hainan

Hainan is an island and the southern-most province of China. It consists of Hainan Island and many smaller islands in the South China Sea. The name "Hainan" means "South of the Sea".

For a long time, Hainan was part of Guangdong. In 1988, it became its own province and was made a special economic zone. This helped bring new opportunities for growth and development.

The island is home to many people from different backgrounds. Most are Han Chinese, but there are also indigenous groups like the Hlai. The main cities are Haikou, the capital, and Sanya, a popular tourist spot.

In 2020, China announced a big plan to turn Hainan into the Hainan Free Trade Port. This aims to make it the world's largest free-trade port by 2035. The plan includes special rules to attract businesses and tourists from around the world.

Names

The name Hainan comes from the main island, which is called "Hai Nam" in the local Hainanese language. It means "South of the Sea" because the island lies south of the Qiongzhou Strait. North of the strait is the Leizhou Peninsula, sometimes called "North of the Sea."

In the past, the island had other names such as Zhuya, Qiongya, and Qiongzhou. During the 1600s and 1700s, explorers called it "Aynam," which is how people still say the name today in the Hainanese language.

History

Prehistoric era

Some believe Hainan was once connected to what is now Vietnam. A volcanic eruption broke it away millions of years ago, and it drifted near China. The Baiyue people were among the first to live there, arriving thousands of years ago.

Imperial Era

Chinese records first mentioned Hainan Island in 110 BC during the Western Han dynasty. Over many years, many people were sent to the island as punishment. Famous writer Su Shi wrote about his time there. Later, many Chinese people moved to Hainan, changing the island's culture.

Republic of China

Hainan was part of Guangdong and Guangxi before becoming its own special area in 1944. During World War II, Japan occupied the island. After the war, fighting continued until the Communists took control in 1950.

People's Republic of China

In 1950, Hainan became part of the new government. In the 1980s, efforts to grow the economy led to big changes. In 1988, it became a special area to attract investment. In 2020, China announced plans to make Hainan a major trade center by 2035. In 2025, new customs rules were set to start in December.

Geography

See also: Geology of Hainan Island

Hainan is an island separated by a narrow strait from the mainland. It is the 42nd largest island in the world. Hainan Island makes up most of the area, with some smaller islands nearby. The island stretches 288 kilometers long and 180 kilometers wide. Its highest point is Wuzhi Mountain, standing at 1,840 meters.

The northern part of Hainan has ancient volcanic rock under the soil. The eastern and northern areas have large wetlands, some of which were made by people. There are few natural lakes, but many reservoirs, with Songtao Reservoir being the largest.

Rivers and lakes

Most rivers start in the center of the island and flow outward. The Nandu River is the longest at 314 kilometers. Other important rivers include the Wanquan, Changhua, Sanya, and Taiyang Rivers. There are not many natural lakes, but several big reservoirs exist, such as Songtao Reservoir.

Islands

Main article: Islands of Hainan

Nearby islands

Small islands surround Hainan Island, including Dazhou Island, Haidian Island, Nanwan Monkey Island (which is actually a peninsula), Phoenix Island (an artificial island being built), Wuzhizhou Island, and Xinbu Island. These islands share similar plants, animals, and weather because they are close to Hainan.

Disputed islands

See also: South China Sea Islands

Some small islands far to the south are part of Hainan Province but have disputed ownership. These include groups like the Paracel, Zhongsha, and Spratly Islands, which are claimed by several countries.

Environment

Hainan enjoys better air quality than most of mainland China because it has fewer factories. In 2012, it had the best air quality in the country for over half the year. Efforts to protect the environment have led to closing old factories and punishing illegal pollution.

Climate

Hainan has a tropical climate with warm temperatures year-round. The average temperature ranges from 23°C to 28°C. January is the coolest month, while June and July are the hottest. The island gets plenty of rain, especially from typhoons and the rainy season, which can cause flooding.

Annual fog

From January to February, thick fog often covers Hainan, especially near the coast and in the north. This fog forms when cold air from the north meets the warm sea. It can reduce visibility to just 50 meters for days, making it feel very damp inside homes.

Flora and fauna

Hainan Island is home to a rich variety of plants and animals. With over 1,500 square kilometers of tropical forest, the island supports more than 4,600 types of plants and over 570 animal species. Scientists have recorded even more species, totaling nearly 6,700, including plants, animals, and fungi.

The island has two main types of natural areas. One covers the lower areas and connects to nearby lands, while the other is found in the island's interior, featuring forests that change with the seasons.

Hainan's forests cover most of the land, with about 61.5% of the area filled with trees. In 2012, about 210,000 hectares of forest were recorded, showing growth from the year before. Many different fruits, herbs, and crops grow wild here, including bananas, cashews, mangoes, and pineapples. The island also has many special plants found only in Hainan, such as certain types of orchids and chili peppers.

Despite its natural richness, Hainan's environment faces threats from non-native plants, human activities like tourism, cutting down forests, and harmful chemicals used in farming.

The island is also a haven for wildlife. Common smaller animals include frogs, toads, geckos, and butterflies. The island's waters support fish like carp and catfish, which help control mosquito populations.

Hainan is home to about 100 types of mammals. Some special ones found only here include the Hainan black crested gibbon, Hainan hare, and Hainan flying squirrel. Larger animals such as the Asiatic black bear and sambar deer also live here.

Birdlife is abundant with 362 known species. Some birds found only on Hainan include the Hainan partridge and the Hainan leaf warbler.

Sea life around Hainan is also diverse. Sea turtles and whale sharks visit the surrounding waters. The island’s seas were once home to many large whales, though most are now nearly gone due to hunting. Smaller whales and dolphins, including the Chinese white dolphin, can still be seen sometimes.

Notable animals of Hainan include:

• The Hainan gymnure, a small mammal
• The Hainan partridge, a bird found only on the island
• The Hainan peacock-pheasant, an endangered bird
• The Hainan black crested gibbon, one of the world's most endangered primates
• The Hainan hare, a species of hare unique to Hainan
• A special type of leopard cat found only here
• The Hainan leaf-warbler, a bird in the warbler family
• The Little torrent frog, a frog species found only on Hainan Island.

Demographics

Hainan has a smaller number of people living there compared to other coastal areas of China.

In the year 2000, most people on Hainan were Han-Chinese, known as Hainanese, making up 84% of the population. Another big group was the Li people, making up about 15%. There were also smaller groups like the Miao, Zhuang, and Utsuls. The Li people mainly live in the middle and southern parts of the island, in places like Sanya and Wuzhishan.

Most people on Hainan follow Chinese folk religion or Chinese Buddhism. Some Li people practice Theravada Buddhism, and many Utsuls are Muslims. There are also a few Christians on the island.

People on Hainan speak many different languages. Most speak Hainanese, a type of Min Chinese. Others speak Standard Mandarin, Cantonese, or languages from the Tai-Kadai, Hmong-Mien, and Austronesian families. Standard Mandarin helps people from different groups talk to each other.

Government

Even when Hainan Island was part of Guangdong, it had a lot of local control; the southern half of the island was an autonomous prefecture. When Hainan became a province in 1988, it gained more accountability to the Central People's Government. However, by making it a special economic zone, the central government aimed to give Hainan flexibility in creating programs to encourage foreign investment and economic growth. The province is divided into five main economic areas.

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Hainan and List of provincial leaders of the People's Republic of China

Hainan has a dual party-government system, like all other areas in mainland China.

The Governor of Hainan is the top official in Hainan's government. However, in the province's system, the Governor has less power than the Hainan Chinese Communist Party Provincial Committee Secretary. The current Hainan Party Chief is Shen Xiaoming.

Legislation

On 13 April 1988, the First Session of the Seventh National People's Congress decided to create Hainan Province, giving the Hainan Provincial People's Congress and its Standing Committee special powers to make laws. After the 2019 plan for a free trade port was announced, Hainan can now create laws about the economy, culture, local issues, and social management, which apply in the Hainan Free Trade Zone.

Intelligence

Research by the Information Warfare Monitor suggests that Hainan is where GhostNet is located. The Chinese government has denied having any cyber warfare or intelligence operations on the island.

Administrative

In the official view of the PRC, Hainan Province includes not just one island, but also around two hundred South China Sea Islands. While this means Hainan has a large area of water, its land area is small. James Shoal (曾母暗沙, Zēngmǔ Ànshā), currently marked by the PRC, is the country's southernmost point. However, Malaysia also claims this area is part of their continental shelf.

Subdivisions

Main articles: List of administrative divisions of Hainan and List of township-level divisions of Hainan

Hainan uses a different way of organizing its areas compared to other provinces of China. In most provinces, areas are split into bigger groups called prefecture-level divisions, which are then split into smaller groups called county-level divisions. In Hainan, most county-level divisions report directly to the province, which is different from other places. This is because Hainan has fewer people, with about 9.26 million living there in 2017.

Military base

Main article: People's Liberation Army Navy

Hainan Island has a special navy base for the People's Liberation Army Navy, including a place for nuclear submarine ships at Yalong Bay. This base is very big and hidden in hills, able to keep many submarines safe from being seen from space. The harbor can hold big ships, including those that carry missiles, and has space for large navy groups.

Economy

Hainan's economy is mostly based on farming, with over half of the island's exports coming from agricultural products. In 1988, Hainan became a province and was designated as China's largest special economic zone to help develop its resources. Before this, the area was known for being largely untouched by industrial development, with few factories. Tourism is a big part of Hainan's economy, thanks to its tropical beaches and forests. The government has encouraged foreign investment and allowed the island to rely more on market forces.

Hainan’s industry mainly processes its minerals and farm products, especially rubber and iron ore. Since the 1950s, machinery, farm equipment, and textiles have been made in the Haikou area for local use. A big challenge for industrial growth has been a shortage of electricity. Most of the island's power comes from hydroelectric sources, which can vary with the seasons.

In December 2009, China announced plans to make Hainan an international tourist destination by 2020. This helped boost the province's economy, with a big increase in investment in early 2010. In 2017, Hainan's GDP was 446.3 billion yuan (66.1 billion US dollars), up by 7.0 percent from the year before. The main parts of the economy were primary industry (like farming) at 21.95 percent, secondary industry (like manufacturing) at 22.34 percent, and tertiary industry (like services and tourism) at 55.71 percent.

Agriculture

Because of Hainan's tropical climate, paddy rice is grown a lot in the northeastern lowlands and southern mountain valleys. Other important crops include coconut, palm oil, sisal, tropical fruits (like pineapples, of which Hainan is China's leading producer), black pepper, coffee, tea, cashews, and sugarcane.

Hainan is also a major rubber producer. In the early 20th century, Chinese emigrants introduced rubber trees to the island; after 1950, state farms were developed, and Hainan now produces a lot of China's rubber. Hainan has almost 93,000 hectares of areca palms. The product, the areca nut, is consumed locally and also sent to the mainland. Ninety-five percent of China's production of this nut is produced in Hainan.

Domesticated farm animals comprise mainly goats, cows, water buffalo, chickens, geese and ducks.

Fisheries

Grouper, Spanish mackerel, and tuna make up most of the catch from offshore fishing grounds. Scallops and pearls are raised in shallow bays and basins for local use and export.

Shrimp production was estimated to be between 120,000 to 150,000 metric tons in 2007, more than 50% of which was exported. Hainan has over 400 hatcheries, most located between Wenchang and Qionghai.

Tilapia production in 2008 was 300,000 metric tons. The island has an estimated 100,000 local, commercial fish farming families.

Tourism

Hainan Island is often divided into eight regions for tourism purposes: Haikou and area (Haikou, Qiongshan, Ding'an); the Northeast (Wenchang); the Central East Coast (Qionghai, Ding'an); the South East Coast; the South (Sanya); the West Coast also called the Chinese Riviera (Ledong, Dongfang, Xianghsui, Changjiang); the North West (Danzhou, Lingao, Chengmai); and the Central Highlands (Baisha, Qiongzhong, and Wuzhishan/Tongzha).

Popular tourist destinations include the beaches and resorts in the southern part of the province. Inland is Five Finger Mountain, a scenic area. Tourists also visit the capital of Haikou with area visitor attractions such as Movie Town Haikou and Holiday Beach.

Visa requirements

In 2000, the province started a visa-upon-arrival policy for foreign tourist groups. It is available to citizens of twenty-six countries, and was created to attract visitors.

Starting 1 May 2018, citizens of 59 countries could visit Hainan for 30 days without requiring a visa, if they came on a tour via a travel agency. Countries included among the 59 are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Statistics

During 2008, 20.6 million tourists visited Hainan, producing total revenues of 19.23 billion yuan (US$2.81 billion). Of these tourists, 979,800 were from overseas with the largest numbers coming from South Korea, Russia and Japan.

In 2010, the amount of overnight tourists visiting Hainan was 25.87 million, 663,000 of which came from outside China.

During 2011, more than 30 million tourists visited Hainan, mostly from mainland China. Of the 814,600 overseas tourists, 227,600 of them came from Russia, a 53.3 percent rise year-on-year. Total revenue during that year was 32 billion RMB ($4.3 billion US), up 25 percent from 2010.

In the first quarter of 2012, the Hainan Provincial Tourism Development Commission reported that Hainan received 208,300 overnight visitors, 25 percent of whom came from Russia.

In 2014, Hainan received 50.2 million tourists, 660,000 of whom were from overseas.

During 2015, Hainan received 53 million visitors.

In 2016, over 60 million tourists went to Hainan, up 12.9% from 2015.

During 2018, the province received over 76 million domestic and overseas tourists, a year-on-year increase of 11.8%. Revenue also increased 14.5% compared to the previous year for a total of 95 billion RMB (US$14 billion).

Medical tourism

The government of Hainan is expanding the province's medical tourism industry. The provincial government has established the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in the Bo'ao area. The zone is located six kilometers from the Boao Forum for Asia and covers 20 square kilometers. This was announced at the Boao Forum for Asia in 2011. The State Council approved the development of Lecheng Island as a medical tourism-themed destination. Lecheng Island is a small island in the Wanquan River about 3 km west of the coastal town of Bo'ao on the west coast of the province. Construction on the 20 km² zone began in December 2014 and was scheduled for completion in 2016. It was the first special zone for medical travel in China. As part of the zone, the Boao Super Hospital opened in 2018.

Historical sites

Haikou is the province's capital and contains interesting historic sites. Also known as Coconut City, Haikou is a major port. The Five Officials Temple consists of five traditional temples and halls that were built in honor of five officials of the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties. These officials were banished to Hainan for periods ranging from 11 days to 11 years for speaking out against what they felt were wrong practices by the emperors.

Xiuying Fort was built in 1891 to defend the southeastern corner of China during the Sino-French War. The Xiuying Fort Barbette covers about a third of an acre. Its five large cannons are still intact and viewable at the site.

The Tomb of Hai Rui is a key national cultural protection site. Hai Rui was a compassionate and popular official of Hainanese origins who lived during the Ming dynasty. He was famous for his lifelong honesty and his willingness to speak out on behalf of local people. In later life, Hai Rui was persecuted and fell out of favor with the emperor. His admirers built the Hai Rui Tomb after his death to commemorate his great works. Construction of the tomb began in 1589.

The Yangpu Ancient Salt Field is a heritage site in Yantian village on Yangpu Peninsula. The area comprises more than 1,000 stones, cut flat on top, used to dry seawater to produce salt.

Other attractions and destinations

Hainan Island has a number of beaches, hot springs and other attractions. Some top scenic sites include Yalong bay National Resort; Dadonghai Tourist Resort; Qizhi Shan (Seven Finger Mountain), Nuilin mountain tropical botanical reserve in Lingshui county, Guantang Hot Spring Resort, Shishan Volcanic Garden; the Wanquan River, Baishi Ridge Scenic Zone and Baihua Ridge.

Other attractions in Hainan include:

• Phoenix Island, an artificial island in Sanya Bay.
• Monkey Island, near the well-known perfume bay or Xiangshui Wan, a popular tourist destination located in Lingshui County, is a state-protected nature reserve for macaques.
• Yalong Bay (Crescent Dragon Bay or Yalong Wan), a 7 km long beach east of Sanya City.
• Xiangshui Bay Scenic Area, 48 km from Sanya Tiandu.
• Luobi Cave, 15 km north of Sanya City.
• Nanshan Temple, a Buddhist cultural area west of Sanya featuring a 108 meters statue of Guanyin, Buddhist Goddess of Mercy.
• Yanoda is a rainforest area. It is open to visitors with guided walking tours, a zipline, and a waterfall climbing activity.
• Atlantis Sanya - a luxury resort in Sanya

Yachting

To encourage the international yachting community, new regulations now allow foreign yachts to stay for a total of 183 days each year, with a maximum single stay duration of 30 days. 13 additional ports will be built around the island to accommodate this market.

Duty-free program

On 20 April 2011, a pilot duty-free program started with the aim of increasing luxury goods purchases. It allows domestic Chinese visitors to claim tax refunds on imported luxury items purchased within the province. The maximum value is set at 5,000 yuan (US$762), with lowered tax rates on purchases over 5,000 yuan. In October 2012, duty limits were raised to 8,000 yuan ($1,273), and became available to both domestic and international tourists.

The total sales of duty-free products for 2012 was 2.4 billion yuan.

The world's largest duty-free shopping complex is scheduled to open in Haitang Bay in August 2014.

During 2018 Spring Festival, Hainan recorded a 25% increase in duty-free revenue, with 450 million yuan ($71 million) in sales. The two duty-free shops, located in Sanya and Haikou, received about 99,000 customers, a 32% gain.

During 2018, the two duty-free shops had sales of more than 10 billion RMB and received 2.88 million customers.

Natural resources

Hainan has commercially exploitable reserves of more than 30 minerals. Iron, first mined by the Japanese during their occupation of the island in World War II, is the most important. Also important are titanium, manganese, tungsten, bauxite, molybdenum, cobalt, copper, gold, and silver. There are large deposits of lignite and oil shale on the island, and significant offshore finds of oil and natural gas have been discovered. Virgin forests in the interior mountains contain more than 20 commercially valuable species, including teak and sandalwood.

Real estate market

In 1990, Hainan province was the site of the largest property bust in modern Chinese history With 2009 and the announcement of the Chinese Government's plan to develop the province into a major international tourist location, property sales rose by 73%, creating the possibility of another bubble in Hainan's property market.

Since March 2010, commercial and residential property values in some parts of Hainan have slowed down since the market peaked in February. In March, average month-on-month transaction prices dropped 12.82% to 12,280 RMB per square meter, with a reduction in volume to 627,000 square meters (6,750,000 sq ft), a 19.05% decline. Later in April, prices declined 2.84% to 11,932 yuan per square metre, with a 57.59% decline in volume to 567,200 square meters (6,105,000 sq ft). Then in May prices declined a further 29.74% from the previous month to 8,483 yuan per square metre, with a 57.95% decline in volume to 229,000 square meters (2,460,000 sq ft). However, property prices in the tourist resort of Sanya remain strong as of January 2011, with prime developments selling at prices of up to 80,000 RMB per square metre.

Data for 2016 shows that Hainan saw an increase in house sales of 44%. Volume in sales was 129 billion RMB ($18.82 billion) which is a rise of 51.2 percent year-on-year. During that year in November, commercial apartments in Sanya sold for 20,695 RMB per square meter a rise of 15.75% year-on-year. The total amount of Sanya real estate sold during that time was 212,400 square meters.

Out of China's twenty leading real estate developers, eighteen had invested in Hainan during 2016.

In the beginning of 2017, the price for a house in Haikou was approximately 8,000 RMB ($1,170) per square meter and 20,000 RMB ($2,977) per square meter in Sanya.

New 2018 regulations

On 23 April 2018, new rules came into effect regarding home purchases in Hainan. To be able to buy a house, non-Hainan residents must prove that they have a minimum of one family member who has been paying taxes or social security for at least 2 years.

Those non-Hainan residents who wish to purchase a house in Haikou, Sanya and Qionghai must prove that they have a minimum of one family member who has been paying taxes or social security for at least 5 years.

In Wuzhishan, Baoting, Qiongzhong and Baisha (the "central ecological core areas"), houses may only be purchased by local residents.

When non-residents do buy a property, the down payment must be at least 70 per cent. In order to curb speculation, owners may not sell their property for five years after receiving their ownership certificate.

Golf industry

This industry is expanding in Hainan, with numerous courses being constructed, including Mission Hills Haikou, which is one of the largest golf complexes in the world. The golf industry attracts foreign investment and overseas golfers from such countries as Australia, South Korea, and Japan.

Automotive industry

Automotive manufacturing is one of eight industrial pillar industries. Hainan's automotive output was 39,600 in 2017, down by 41.1 percent over the previous year. Domestic Chinese manufacturer, Haima Automobile has its global headquarters in Haikou.

Foreign trade

As of 2017, the total value of imports and exports of goods reached 70,237 million yuan (10,403 million US dollars). Of which, the value of goods exported was 29,566 million yuan (4,379 million US dollars), the value of goods imported was 40,671 million yuan (6,024 million US dollars).

Asean was Hainan's largest export trade partner in 2017, the value of goods exported to Asean was 12,289 yuan (1,820 million US dollars), accounted for 41.56 per cent of the total value of goods exported. Its second-largest foreign trade partner was Hong Kong, the value of goods exported to Hong Kong was 2,966 yuan (439 million US dollars), accounted for 10.03 per cent of that. the 3rd largest partner was EU, the value of goods exported to EU was 2,186 yuan (324 million US dollars), accounted for 7.39 per cent of that.

Hainan Free trade port

On 13 April 2018, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping announced a plan to gradually make the island into a pilot free trade zone by 2020, and transform the entire island into a free trade port by 2025. This will involve inviting foreign and multi-national companies to set up their regional and international headquarters in Hainan. Goods and services would be subject to low or even no tariffs. The zone will become China's largest free trade zone, and the first trade port since 1949, when the People's Republic of China was founded. Part of the plan is to establish exchanges in commodities and carbon trading, international energy, and shipping. Emphasis will also be placed on the development of service industries including tourism, the Internet, healthcare, finance, as well as conference and exhibitions hosting.

Since the announcement in April 2018, Hainan had signed 159 contracts with major companies. In September 2018, China National Travel Service Group, China's biggest travel business conglomerate, relocated its headquarters from Beijing to Haikou. In October 2018, Baidu and Hainan signed a deal to build a 10-billion-yuan (US$1.45 billion) eco-village.

In September 2018, a symposium was held in Beijing on foreign investment projects in Hainan. During that gathering, the Hainan government signed contracts with 26 international companies including Globevisa Group, Merlin Entertainments Group, Viacom, Ikea Group, Mapletree Investments, Avis Budget Group, Star Cruises, and Boehringer Ingelheim.

To bring talented workers to Hainan, in November 2018 the Hainan government held a recruitment fair in Beijing in an effort to bring 7,471 people to Hainan to work in government agencies, companies, and other institutions.

Established prior to this announcement, and currently in existence, are the following economic and technological development zones:

• Haikou Free Trade Zone
• Haikou New & Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone
• Yangpu Economic Development Zone

In June 2020, China set the corporate income tax rate for Hainan Free Trade port enterprises engaged in specified manufacturing activities.^: 137  In 2021, Hainan Free Trade Port Law of the People's Republic of China was adopted by the National People's Congress and ratified under the No.85 Order of the President of the People's Republic of China in 2021. On 18 December 2018, feng guan (封关, which is directly translated into "customs closure") was implemented, making Hainan a separate customs zone. All goods sold to other parts of China from Hainan are treated as imports, in a similar way as Hong Kong SAR.

Transport

Road

Before 1950, there were almost no roads connecting the middle of Hainan Island. The first roads were built in the early 1900s, but major road building in the mountains didn’t start until the 1950s. Today, most roads run north to south along the east and west coasts and through the middle of the island.

Hainan is special because it is the only province in China without toll stations on its highways. Instead, road maintenance is paid for by a tax on fuel. There are several big highways connecting the cities of Haikou and Sanya. The G224 highway is 309 kilometers long and goes through the middle of the island. The Hainan Ring Highway has three parts: the G225, which is 429 kilometers long on the west side; the G223, which is 323 kilometers long on the east side; and the G98, a 612.8-kilometer-long expressway that goes around the whole island.

Bridges

A bridge connecting Hainan to the mainland was planned in the early 2000s but was never built. In 2018, people still talked about possibly building a bridge or tunnel because bad weather can make travel hard for people who need to go to the mainland.

Air

Hainan has two international airports: Haikou Meilan International Airport and Sanya Phoenix International Airport, along with two smaller airports: Qionghai Bo'ao Airport and Danzhou Airport, which is still being built.

Rail

Hainan has railways that go around the whole island. Since 2004, trains can travel from Hainan to mainland China by using a rail ferry. There are two high-speed railway lines around the island, one on the east coast and one on the west coast, both connecting Haikou and Sanya. The first high-speed train on the east coast started running on December 30, 2010, and the one on the west coast began in 2015.

Seaports

The main ports in Hainan include Haikou Xiuying Port, which is the biggest for passengers and cargo. Haikou New Port opened in June 2005, as did Macun Port in Chengmai County. There are also smaller ports like Basuo Port in Dongfang City, which sends out iron ore from the Shilu Mine.

Province-wide infrastructure development

Since 2015, Hainan has been working hard to improve its towns and villages. This includes cleaning up litter, removing small illegal dumps, and putting in new road surfaces and sidewalks. In Haikou, whole neighborhoods have been rebuilt, with better sanitation, new sidewalks, and traffic lights at crossings.

Visa-free entry

Starting from May 1, 2018, people from 59 different countries can visit Hainan Island without a visa if they stay for 30 days or less. In July 2019, China updated its rules to allow more people to visit without a visa for reasons like business, trade, visiting family, medical treatment, and attending events. Now, people can apply on their own or get an invitation from a company instead of needing a travel agency to help them.

Eligible countries

Free trade zone

In July 2019, China announced new rules to help people from other countries live and work in Hainan. Students from other countries who have finished their studies in China can stay for up to two years to start new projects. These students need a letter from their school to help with this.

People from other countries who have very high degrees or have worked in Hainan for many years can also apply to live there forever. Their families can join them too. Others who start new businesses and pay taxes for three years can also apply to live in Hainan permanently.

Education

The schools and colleges in Hainan have gotten better since 1949, but there still needs more help for bigger schools.

Some of the main schools and colleges include:

• Hainan University (海南大学)
• Hainan Medical University (海南医学院)
• Hainan Normal University (海南师范大学)
• Hainan Tropical Ocean University (海南热带海洋学院)
• Qiongtai Normal University (琼台师范学院)
• Haikou University of Economics (海口经济学院)
• University of Sanya (三亚学院)

See also: List of universities and colleges in Hainan

Settlement

Hainan has been a special and mysterious place, even inspiring poems from famous writers like Su Dongpo. After 1950, many people from mainland China moved to Hainan. In the 1970s, young people from southern Guangdong were sent to work on farms there. In the 1980s, even more people came looking for new chances to build their lives. This made Hainan feel like a new place full of opportunity.

In the late 1960s, many young people were sent to Hainan from Guangdong. This led to a phrase, "being rooted in Hainan," which at first meant being devoted to important work. By the early 1970s, the phrase changed to mean getting married and starting a family on the island.

Media

Hainan has its own local TV stations like Hainan TV and Haikou TV, in addition to programs from Central China Television (CCTV). There are also newspapers such as Nanguo Metropolis Daily, Haikou Evening News, and Hainan Daily that are published in Haikou.

In the southern part of Haikou, there is a big film studio called Movie Town Haikou. This studio has several buildings and an artificial town that people can visit and that is used for making movies.

Cuisine

Hainan food is known for being light and using mild flavors. It mixes local tastes with those from Han Chinese cooking. Seafood is very important, with dishes that include shrimp, crab, fish, and other sea creatures.

One popular dish is Wenchang chicken, a small, free-range chicken from the east coast of Hainan. It tastes different from regular chicken because it has more texture and is a bit drier. Another well-known dish is Hainan chicken rice / Coibui, famous in places like Singapore and Malaysia. The best way to make this dish is to mix the rice with chicken soup for extra flavor. Qingbuliang is a classic dessert in Hainan, similar to cold sugar water, and it often includes coconut milk, red beans, watermelon, barley, and other ingredients.

Events

Hainan Island hosts many fun events each year. One is the Blue Bay LPGA, a women’s golf tournament held at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course. There’s also the Swatch Girls World Pro China, an elite women’s surfing competition in Wanning, and the Hainan International Surfing Festival in Riyue Bay and Wanning.

Other events include the Miss World beauty pageant in Sanya, the Mission Hills Star Trophy golf tournament, and the Tour of Hainan bicycle race. The Hainan Rendez-Vous brings together very wealthy people to the Chinese Riviera-like shores of Hainan. The Boao Forum for Asia is an important meeting for leaders in government, business, and education. The H1 Hot Air Balloon Challenge takes place in Haikou, with balloons flying over the Qiongzhou Strait to a spot in Guangdong.

Miscellaneous topics

The novel Red Detachment of Women by Liang Xin is set on Hainan Island. It was first turned into a movie in the 1950s and later into a ballet in the 1960s. Many people back then pictured Hainan from this ballet, especially the coconut forests, Five Finger Mountain (Wuzhi Shan), and the Wanquan River.

Hainan has two famous lighthouses: the Baishamen Lighthouse and Mulantou Lighthouse. Mulantou is the tallest lighthouse in China. There is also an asteroid named 3024 Hainan after the island, found in 1981. There's a Singaporean TV show called Hainan Kopi Tales set in a Hainan coffee shop. Also, Hainan Resort is a map in the video game Battlefield 4.

Space center

Main article: Wenchang Space Launch Site

China has a satellite launch center on Hainan east of Wenchang city. The Wenchang Space Launch Site opened in June 2016 with the first flight of the Long March 7 rocket. This launch site is special because it is very close to the equator.

Notable residents

The poet Su Shi lived in Hainan after being sent away from his home during the Song dynasty. A school called the Dongpo Academy was later built where he stayed.

Hai Rui was a well-respected leader during the Ming dynasty. He is remembered for being fair and honest in his work.

Chih-Ping Chen worked for many years as a diplomat and leader for China, helping build important roads and representing his country around the world.

One of Hainan’s most famous people is businessman Charlie Soong. He had three daughters who married important leaders in China’s history: Soong Ai-ling, Soong Ching-ling, and Soong Mei-ling.

Today, Hainan is also home to entertainers like singer and actress Wang Feifei (Fei), who was part of the group Miss A, and Wu Xuanyi, a member of the group WJSN. Both were born in the city of Haikou.

International partnerships

Hainan works with many places around the world as sister states, provinces, or cities.