China's Island Province Has Booming EconomyThe past five years have been a "golden period" for the economic and social development of Hainan, the southern-most province and second largest island in China after Taiwan.This remark was made Sunday by Wang Xiaofeng, governor of Hainan, at the fourth session of the second provincial People's Congress. "We have achieved stable and fast economic growth during the just past ninth five-year-plan period," Wang told the conference. According to the official, the island's economic growth rate has been above the national average level since 1998. Last year, Hainan's GDP reached 51.9 billion yuan (US$6.27 billion), 43.1 percent more than the 1995 figure. It has also made progress in economic restructuring, the governor said, adding that such sectors as cash crops, IT, tourism and the marine industry have witnessed significant development during the past five years. The island has now become one of the best tourist destinations in China, as shown by 10 million tourists it received last year. Meilan Airport on the island has also become one of the eight busiest airports in China. |
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