Sanya Muslims reap rewards of free trade port

In May, the temperature is already past 30 degrees Celsius in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province. It used to be the low season for tourism, but the situation has changed.

"Since Hainan has become a free trade port, we do not have an off-season anymore," Ha Zhibao, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Committee at a Hui community in Sanya said.

Hainan has become China's most popular holiday destination, attracting millions of tourists with its tropical island scenery, beautiful beaches, luxurious hotels and favorable tax-free policies. The island's development is on a fast track as it is set to be the country's free trade port and largest special economic zone.

The Muslim community in Sanya is a distinguished group, with its long history and distinctive culture. Living in the areas surrounding Phoenix International Airport, it has benefited from favorable policies and Hainan's rapid development in the past couple of years.

But the flourishing resort city will not damage its uniqueness and traditions.

On Thursday morning, after light showers cooled the air, local Muslim residents celebrated their Eid al-Fitr festival.

Around 300 believers observed religious rituals in the North Mosque at Huihui community, the largest of the four mosques in Sanya with a history of more than 30 years. After prayers, people returned home to continue the celebrations with their families.

The ceremony was conducted with strict anti-virus measures in place - everyone at the event was required to wear a mask; their temperatures were also taken, and they had to pray while maintaining a recommended distance from other worshippers.

"We worked overtime to ensure the security of the community during Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr period," Zhang Shaohua, a vice secretary of the CPC committee at Huixin community said.

"Despite the virus prevention work, the traditions and rituals are all the same as usual," Ha said. "Residents all understand the importance of this work. After seeing what is happening in neighboring countries right now, we are content with our lives here.” Ha said that many residents have answered the call to be vaccinated.

Ramadan is usually the busiest month for Muslims in Sanya, and the city's six mosques are brightly lit throughout the period. Outside the mosque, a large number of small merchants and hawkers were gathered, selling a variety of exquisite Muslim specialty dishes, with a local bustling night market lasting until dawn the next day.

Like many other Muslims in China, Sanya Muslims love beef and mutton. But they have also developed their own special menu after living on the island for hundreds of years; seafood and coconut rice are welcomed on dinner tables, and rice noodles are popular snacks.

In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), some Persians and Arabian businessmen settled in Hainan after traveling by boat; some Muslims came from Vietnam to escape wars in the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) and Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). In recent years, more Muslims have moved there from the mainland, such as Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Xinjiang, in search of greener pastures.

Nowadays, there are two major Muslim communities, Huihui and Huixin, which are home to more than 9,400 residents, of which the majority are Hui. Most of them earn a living by doing business and working in the tourism industry.

A total of six imams and about 60 people work in religious affairs, according to the publicity department of Sanya.

However, in recent years, like many other Muslim groups in China, Sanya's Muslim community has also been the target of disingenuous coverage in Western media, along with false accusations on matters ranging from local religious practices to education.

"We are implementing our policies and rules and have been respecting residents' opinions," Ha said. "Probably it needs more communication and a period of time for the residents to understand the policies, but some reports we heard are just hyping and exaggerating the facts."

"Local communities and schools are willing to accommodate and accept all kinds of beliefs and thoughts. We welcome people from diverse cultures to visit the Muslim community and learn about our culture," Li Shaohua, executive director of Hainan Islamic Association said.

"Under the background of Hainan Free Trade Port, the government encourages all students to learn foreign languages, including Arabic," Li noted.