At the center of the Asia Pacific economic circle, Hainan Island, part of the southernmost province of China, is not only the largest special economic zone in the country but also a key link on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, with ready access to international shipping routes of the South China Sea. It covers a land area of 35,400 square kilometers and administers neighboring Xisha, Nansha and Zhongsha islands, as well as their waters.
China's reform and opening-up have brought life and prosperity to Hainan province and transformed it from a backward, remote island into one of the country's most open and dynamic regions over the 30 years since it became a province.
Hainan, China's island province, is again becoming a global focal point as the annual Boao Forum for Asia unfolds with political leaders, academics and entrepreneurs.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Hainan becoming a province and a special economic zone. In this series, we'll look at the island's achievements in social, economic and cultural development, especially in the sectors of ecological environmental protection, science and technology, agriculture and tourism, as well as its opening-up to the outside world.
