HAIKOU /China/, May 11. /TASS/. In the next five years, the resort city of Sanya on the coast of Hainan, China’s southernmost island province, will play an important role in developing the region’s maritime economy, Sanya Ribao reported.
According to the newspaper, Hainan’s 15-year plan to develop this sector in the 2026-2030 period repeatedly references Sanya. The program covers deep-ocean technology, sea tourism, the production of bioproducts, and the promotion of international cooperation, among other areas.
According to the set task, the share of the maritime economy in Hainan’s economy will reach 45% by 2030, exceeding 50% in 2035. Against this backdrop, Sanya was repeatedly referred to as “a central hub and key incentive.” The plan includes the development of an innovation center in the sphere of deep-ocean technology, a cluster of modern sea-related sectors, and a platform to promote related international cooperation.
The authorities in Hainan will focus on providing assistance to research in this field, establishing a diversified system of innovation, and creating favorable conditions for the development of related technologies. Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, located on the coast of the South China Sea in Sanya, is expected to play an important role in this area. Promising projects and developments include uncrewed surface vessels, digital support platforms, and equipment and infrastructure for conducting deep-sea operations.
In addition, there are plans to set up international technology transfer centers, including in the field of marine biomedicine, based on laboratories operating in Sanya. The local government will pay special attention to crop selection, recreational fishing (cultivating seafoods for sports and recreation), environmental protection, coastline restoration and improvement, the low-carbon development of Hainan’s bays, and the optimization of space for coastal recreation.
Sanya is the leading Chinese resort city with a population of over 1.1 million people. In 2025, its gross domestic product saw a 4.8% increase to over 103 billion yuan (around $15 billion). The city's average annual air temperatures reach 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 for successful development of yachting, cruise tourism, and beach and family vacations. Last year, foreign tourist arrivals increased by 41.4% to more than 1 million.