HAIKOU /China/, Dec. 1. /TASS/. The Yazhouwan Innovation Development Zone boosted the creation of Hainan's free trade port this year, becoming an important factor in increasing the gross regional product of China's southernmost province, according to the data published by Chinese media with reference to official sources.
The China Daily reported that the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences' Seed Selective Breeding Research Center in Yazhouwan is playing an increasingly important role in stimulating Hainan's economic growth. In the future, its importance as a key national center for food security is expected to grow steadily.
"The goal of the research institute is to consolidate dispersed research and ensure cooperation between scientists who are currently working on solving problems on their own," the newspaper quotes CAAS President Tan Huajun as saying. He noted that the new research and production organization, established in May, "will enable specialists to eliminate key problems in seed production."
According to officials, the Sanya Seed Research Center has already attracted $1.53 million in investment for six selective breeding projects, with about 90 people working on them.
New growth drivers
Local authorities have promoted the creation of two strategic facilities in the Yazhouwan Innovation Zone, which will boost the province's humanitarian cooperation ties, the Hainan Daily reported. In particular, they will promote economic modernization.
The facilities in question are a cultural innovation center and an international cultural service center. It is assumed that they will play the role of "a platform for friendly exchanges", will increase the attractiveness of the science city on the international arena, will attract more foreign professionals, improve the business atmosphere, stimulate international trade and cultural diversity.
In addition, the Sanya Daily newspaper reported that Yazhouwan has recently established a Big Data Research Center for Brand Communications. Its task is to elaborate marketing strategies for the effective use of brands and to raise their status in the market.
This structure was created with the participation of a Chinese company called IFlytek, which specializes in artificial intelligence technologies. It will promote the search for perspective solutions with the use of a number of advanced developments and it assumes the use of a new generation of mobile communication 5G, as well as cloud services.
Changes in the legal sphere
According to the Hainan International Communications Network, this year, the Yazhouwan Innovation Zone changed the rules for registering and starting construction of infrastructure facilities to accelerate the development of knowledge-intensive and high-tech enterprises. The changes made to the regulations are still being tested out.
For example, when developing a site on the territory of the science city, the lessee will no longer have to send a project design for consideration to the authorities and then wait for their decision. At the same time, the company responsible for the site will be obliged to ensure high quality of work. The new rules do not apply to energy, irrigation or transportation projects, nor do they apply to civilian facilities which store explosive materials or are involved with the storage of confidential information.
In addition, according to Hainan Daily, Sanya’s science city recently established a center for civic legislative initiatives that will help strengthen the legal framework for science and technology development. There are only 22 such structures in China. They study the opinions of various groups and take their wishes into account when drafting new laws or amending existing laws and regulations.
"Yazhouwan is one of the key innovative development zones of Hainan Free Trade Port, and its mission is to stimulate the development of agriculture and maritime-related industries," the Legislative Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (Parliament) commented on the establishment of the center. "Proposals from high-tech companies and research organizations will be considered through the center. Legal drafting activities on the regional level will become more focused."
"Yazhouwan is located on the coast of the South China Sea and is one of 11 key innovative development projects in Hainan's free trade port. The area allocated for science-intensive enterprises and other infrastructure facilities exceeds 26 square kilometers. The organizations located on the territory of this science city are engaged in projects in the field of selective breeding and modern agriculture, deep-sea research, astronautics, network technology, medicine and finance. According to the plans of the Chinese government, these research institutes and enterprises should accelerate the formation of a developed research and production complex on the island."