HAIKOU /China/, August 17. /TASS/. The leading Chinese resort city of Sanya, located on the southern coast of Hainan Island, will maintain a high-quality environment despite active economic development and a surge in tourist traffic, Zhao Junshan, the deputy head of the city's ecology and environment department, said.

"We will focus on several key areas to ensure an excellent ecological environment in Sanya, and we will make every effort to create a ‘Beautiful China’ zone," the official said at a press conference. He added that local authorities intend to strengthen the resort's status as a "world-famous tropical seaside city that is convenient for living, working, and recreation."

According to the official, Sanya will "fight resolutely against environmental pollution and maintain high environmental quality." In particular, the city's competent authorities intend to minimize the amount of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone in the atmosphere.

At the same time, plans are in place to strengthen measures to neutralize air pollution caused by construction sites, soil exposure, and straw burning in Sanya's agricultural areas, as well as by restaurants, gas stations, and repair shops. Systematic control will be tightened to include the preservation of water and land resources.

Zhao Junshan added that to achieve these goals, the city plans to intensify the construction, operation, and maintenance of treatment facilities, maintain high environmental standards, and "coordinate efforts to protect the environment on land and at sea." He noted that the Sanya administration will closely inspect enterprises to eliminate potential pollution risks and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture.

The city also plans to improve the efficiency of sorting, transporting, and processing household waste, construction waste, and medical waste.

Rapidly developing Chinese resort

Earlier, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) reported that the number of tourists traveling from Russia to Hainan in 2025 could set a new record. According to its data, 261,000 Russians visited the island from January to July of this year, which is twice as many as in the same period last year.

Sanya, a city of over one million people, is a popular Chinese resort destination. According to official estimates, its gross domestic product exceeded 100 billion yuan ($14 billion) in 2024, marking a 5% increase. The city's average annual air temperature reaches 25.4 degrees Celsius, and its coastline is about 260 kilometers long. There are 19 bays and approximately 40 islands in the adjacent waters that are suitable for tourism, allowing the local administration to successfully develop yachting, cruise tourism, and beach and family vacations.