SANYA, January 8. /TASS/. A total of 158 new foreign-owned enterprises were created in 2020 in Sanya in China's Hainan, 163% higher than in 2019, reported www.hinews.cn. 

The news outlet explains the growing interest of foreign investors in Sanya with preferences provided by the Hainan project's free trade port. There are 13 new ventures with foreign capital set up in Sanya with investments of over $ 20 million, including several of the world's 500 largest companies such as Yum! Brands and the Rio Tinto group.

In 2020, companies from 29 countries invested in Sanya, including UK, Singapore, US and Japan. At the same time, the volume of actually used foreign investments increased by 18% in annual terms. Investments, the news outlet writes, came, in particular, in such areas as business services, IT, culture, sports and entertainment and research. Sanya is currently negotiating with 20 more potential investors in such areas as yacht tourism, logistics, intermediary services, high technology and a number of others.

On June 1, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council published the General Development Program for Hainan's Free Trade Port, according to which an effective mechanism to stimulate sustainable and long-term growth should be finally formed in Hainan by 2025. It is expected that thanks to new methods, many of which are being introduced in China for the first time, the province will be able to fulfill a number of key socio-economic tasks necessary to form a powerful financial and economic center in the country’s south. It is assumed that by 2035 both the economic and innovative potential of this region will be maximized, and it will become one of the most attractive places for international investors.