HAIKOU /China/, March 10. /TASS/. A delegation of officials from the southern Chinese province of Hainan presented the latest progress in the development of the regional free trade port at the 3rd plenary session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC, parliament). The plenary session was held in the Chinese capital in the presence of journalists.
Feng Fei, Secretary of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, outlined key areas of socio-economic development in China's southernmost province. He said the region's administration is making active efforts to ensure openness and the rule of law, in line with Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision.
Feng Fei said he fully supports the provisions of the government work report released at the opening session of China's top legislature. The official noted innovative incentives to ensure the continuous deepening of reform and democratization. He clarified that Hainan's leadership is "conscientiously implementing the tasks set by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
Liu Xiaoming, Governor of Hainan, said at the meeting that the authorities are taking targeted measures to establish an international consumption zone on the island. He noted that Hainan is striving to comprehensively develop the cultural, sports and tourism industries. "We are turning [the region's administrative center] Haikou City into an international performing arts capital, Sanya into an Asia-Pacific yachting capital, Wenchang [northeast coast] into an aerospace tourism capital, [innovation zone] Lecheng [east of the island] into a medical tourism capital," he added.
The governor noted the government's active efforts to improve conditions not only for costal and maritime tourism, but also to promote projects related to cultural tourism, including museum tourism and hosting scenic hikes in Hainan's mountainous areas. At the same time, industry supervision mechanisms and emergency response tools will be strengthened, he said.
Free trade port and parliamentary session
In April 2018, Xi Jinping announced the establishment of a free trade port on the island. The program aims to bring Hainan into the process of globalization and international division of labor and lay a solid foundation for innovation. Local authorities are creating attractive conditions for investors and developing scientific and production infrastructure. According to the government's plan, the province's business climate will soon reach a national level, and by 2050 the region will become a unique international cluster with an advanced economy and will house campuses of leading universities, advanced laboratories and headquarters of global corporations.
The National People's Congress amends the Constitution and oversees its implementation, adopts amendments to the Criminal and Civil Law as well as legislation on state structure. Its powers include electing and dismissing the President of the People's Republic of China and the Premier of the State Council, their deputies, the heads of the Central Military Commission, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and the heads of ministries. The session runs from March 5 to 11 concurrently with a similar series of events of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (the top advisory body), which traditionally begins its work a day earlier, on March 4, and concludes on March 10.