HAIKOU /China/, August 2. /TASS/. The economic growth rate of Danzhou city in the western part of Hainan Island amounted to 12.1% in the first half of the year. According to the Provincial Bureau of Statistics, the gross regional product (GRP) of this industrial center reached 47.96 billion yuan ($6.72 billion).
According to the department, Danzhou ranks first among Hainan's administrative-territorial units in terms of economic development dynamics. Moreover, its GRP growth rate in January-June was 3.5 percentage points higher than that of the whole province.
Danzhou's industrial output rose 42.4 percent to 11.86 billion yuan ($1.66 billion) in the first six months, according to published data. The industrial sector accounted for 63.3% of the city's economic development structure.
The services sector posted a 6.8% growth in the first half of the year (to 25.91 billion yuan, or $3.63 billion).
The local statistics office commented that in the second half of the year, the Danzhou authorities will continue to promote the development of key industries. At the same time, they plan to actively stimulate consumption, attract investment, and increase trade with other countries.
Danzhou, along with Haikou (the administrative center of Hainan) and the resort city of Sanya, plays a leading role in the formation of a free trade port. It is also home to the Yangpu deep-water port, which has important strategic significance. This industrial zone of advanced economic development is taking part in the formation of a single highly efficient transportation network of the PRC: according to the Chinese government's plan, by 2035 Yangpu will become a key point for distributing the flow of goods from different regions of the country to Southeast Asia and Oceania, Europe and North America. It is expected that by 2025 it will become a logistics hub of regional importance, through which up to 5 million containers will pass annually.