Haikou National High-tech Zone rises from scratch

Since its establishment 28 years ago, the national hi-tech industrial development zone in Haikou has been transforming and upgrading in terms of its management, investment attraction, and policies. Its efficient and considerate services, as well as its constantly improving living facilities, have been attracting more hi-tech enterprises.

In 2018, the ranking of Haikou National Hi-tech Zone among 156 national hi-tech zones in China was up seven places to 71st. At present, 78 high-tech enterprises have settled in the zone, accounting for one fifth of the province's total and one third of the city's total.

For nine years, Haikou Hi-tech Zone was run by a company, since it was set up in 1991 as the only national-level development zone across Hainan province. In September 2000, the management power was transferred to the Haikou municipal government and the management committee was set up, according to Wang Wenhai, deputy director of the administrative examination and approval service department of the zone.

A researcher conducts an experiment in Haikou National Hi-tech Zone. [Photo/ hinews.cn]

"In the past, we had to go through the examination and approval procedures by ourselves, but now the relevant departments take the initiative to contact us," said Gong Qicai, head of a Hainan-based big healthcare platform.

"The simplified government review process speeds up the project approval by over 80 percent, shortening the construction period and saving costs of capital up to about 2 million yuan."

In addition, targeted investment promotion has helped the zone dock a number of large enterprises with high quality and, high added value, which have introduced a number of major and key projects, optimizing the industrial structure of the zone.

"The Fortune Global 500, top 20 global pharma companies, and China’s top 500 credit enterprises are targeted groups when we promote investment," said a person-in-charge from the hi-tech zone. "We also focus on key areas of the hi-tech industry and financial services like healthcare, AI, light and low-carbon manufacturing, marine industry, the next generation IT industry, as well as new materials, and new equipment."

Haikou National Hi-tech Zone has also attracted an increasing number of enterprises by virtue of its efficient management system, and the area was enlarged to incorporate four industrial parks including Meian Ecological Science and Technology New Town.

The Meian Ecological Science and Technology New Town started to serve as a pilot zone of "Minimum Approval" from 2015 when Hainan province launched reform in the zone to provide one-stop services to companies, which has produced notable results.