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China's largest SEZ celebrates 20th anniversary

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-04-27 09:32

China's southernmost Hainan Province, the largest special economic zone (SEZ) in the country, celebrated its 20th anniversary in its capital city of Haikou on Saturday.

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"Setting up SEZs was an important measure of China's reform and opening-up. The SEZs have played a pioneering role in prompting the reform," said Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang at the celebration ceremony.

Li asked the island province to build itself into a shipping hub, logistic center and export processing base for southeast Asia.

Founded on the same date 20 years ago, Hainan SEZ was a pioneer in experimenting with the market economy, developing the land with foreign investment, implementing a provincial insurance system, abolishing the agricultural tax and school fees for nine-year compulsory education.

During the past two decades, Hainan saw its gross domestic product expand 7.6-fold in real terms. Disposal income for urban population soared 10.6 times and net income for farmers jumped 6.6 times.

"We should learn from the experience from Hainan: to stick to socialist market economy-oriented reform, to stick to scientific development and innovation for sustainable economy growth, and to stick to putting people first to raise the people's living standard and promote social harmony," Li told the ceremony.

"We should take on a growth road based on the national and provincial conditions and giving play to comparative advantages," he noted.

The vice premier urged local authorities to deepen reform and opening-up and further "emancipate mind" to explore new approaches for economic growth.

More efforts are needed to boost innovation capability, upgrade economic structures, and build Hainan into an environmental-friendly prosperous province, Li added.

He also paid a visit on Saturday to an exhibition showcasing Hainan's achievement during the past 20 years.

The province unveiled on Friday a blueprint aiming at building itself into a major international tourist destination by 2028.

The province will continue to implement its visa-free policies for tourists and open up aviation rights, introduce renowned overseas travel agencies and hotel management corporations, according to the action plan for the long-term goal of a first-class international tourist island.

With an area of 34,000 square kilometers, tropical and sub-tropical Hainan was established in 1988 as a province and approved as a special economic zone enjoying preferential development policies.

The other four SEZs are Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou and Xiamen, all in southern China.