HAIKOU, JUne 11. /TASS/. The Hainan authorities are planning to pay special attention to the development of economic cooperation at sea with the countries of Southeast Asia during the fourteenth five-year plan (2021-2025), said Chen Jingjin, Deputy Head of the Regional Department of Natural Resources.
"We plan to intensify open economic cooperation at sea. Hainan will increase cooperation with the countries of Southeast Asia, establish close ties in the Gulf of Tonkin," he said at a press conference. According to the official, the province intends to develop global production chains in the coming years with the involvement of other southern regions of China, which play an important role in global trade — the cities of Guangzhou (Guangdong province), Hong Kong and Macau.
"The main attention will be paid to the formation of new supply channels, passing both by sea and by land", said the official. "Hainan must constantly expand the network of economic cooperation through intensive integration in the domestic and foreign markets."
As the Hainan administration specified, at the same time, the province is going to promote the development of cruise tourism with the participation of Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. Fishing will become another important area of cooperation: Hainan will create industrial sites in the countries of Southeast Asia that will be engaged in fish farming and seafood processing.
One of the main priorities for the next five years, as noted, will be the development of international logistics routes and measures to turn Hainan into a key transport hub for the Asia-Pacific region. In order to do so, the provincial authorities intend to boost cooperation with Singapore, through which a large flow of goods from Africa, Europe, India, as well as from the Middle East constantly passes.
Hainan has a favorable geographical position in the region and has a large untapped potential in the field of transport communications. The Chinese central government plans to actively involve the province in the projects of the 21st century Maritime Silk Road initiative. Among the important areas of cooperation that are expected to contribute to economic growth and strengthening of stability in the region are cooperation with the countries of Southeast Asia on fisheries, the implementation of joint programs for the development of public education, environmental protection and coordination of efforts to conduct effective rescue operations at sea.