HAIKOU, August 19. /TASS/.
The culture of the states of Southeast Asia over the past centuries has significantly enriched the life of Hainan, which, thanks to constant contacts with neighboring countries, has acquired a unique charm and has become especially attractive to tourists, write observers of the newspaper "Hainan Daily" after studying the specifics of the culture of this subtropical island.
In their opinion, cross-border contacts and the wonderful marine climate of the tropics allowed Hainan to create its own exotic, to offer tourists amazing dishes and drinks, many of which appeared in the province thanks to Chinese compatriots who have lived for a long time in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. A particularly significant contribution to boosting the ties of this Chinese region with other countries was made by the residents of Fujian province, who several centuries ago chose the east and west coasts of the island, where important trade routes from Africa, the Middle East, Europe and India pass.
Thanks to active contacts with neighboring and more distant states, various architectural styles, new dishes and styles of clothing, sweets and delicacies, as well as cocoa, coffee and a number of crops grown on the equator and in the tropics have appeared on Hainan. One of the striking examples of such cultural diversity, as the authors of Hainan Daily emphasize, is the ancient Qilou Street in the center of Haikou (the administrative center of the province), created during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) and formed by the middle of the nineteenth century.
As local experts remind, interesting cultural and historical sites can be seen as well in the small towns of Qionghai and Wanning in the eastern part of the island. Largely thanks to Chinese migrants, who, after having stayed abroad for a long time, nevertheless returned to their homeland, the sweet potato, which for centuries was considered the main food product of the inhabitants of Hainan, as well as relatively simple rice dishes, were replaced by new culinary delights, and later even local bakery.
What is more, due to active international cultural and humanitarian contacts, new types of performing arts appeared on Hainan — songs, dances and instrumental performance, which were greatly influenced by both other countries and other regions of China. The island is also famous for its variety of dialects, which draw the attention of philologists, language history specialists and comparative linguists from all over the world.
Pilot free trade zone and port
On April 13, 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the creation of a pilot free trade zone and port on Hainan. The program aims to involve the island in globalization and international distribution of labor, to lay a top-notch innovation base. The provincial administration creates attractive conditions for investors, forms an advanced research infrastructure. At the samre time, the authorities are making great efforts to provide ideal conditions for tourism, constantly improving the environment, contributing to the preservation and enrichment of the unique cultural identity of the southernmost province of China.