2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the launching of China’s reform and opening-up policy as well as the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Hainan Province and Special Economic Zone. Can you give us your reflections at such a special historic moment?
Hainan was born of reform and thrived because of reform.
When I visited Hainan at the end of 1987, I was a young man full of vitality. Having lived in north China until then, I imagined Hainan to be a beautiful island in southern China. However, after arriving, I found Hainan to be very backward, with hardly any traffic lights and only the hustle and bustle of motorbikes on the streets, very different from what I had envisioned.
Hainan’s GDP in 1987 was only a little over 20 billion yuan ($3.18 billion). However, several major transformations have taken place in Hainan over the past three decades. First, the province has gone from an underdeveloped region into a rapidly growing area. Although its GDP has been less than 500 billion yuan ($79.6 billion), the difference still represents a more than 70fold increase compared to 30 years ago, which is a great improvement.
Second, Hainan has developed from an isolated island and defense outpost to the largest special economic zone in China and a dynamic international tourist destination. As the saying goes, “If you want to stay healthy, come to Hainan frequently.”
Third, people’s living standards have improved considerably in Hainan. Local people used to be impoverished. The percapita income of local residents was slightly more than half of the national average, but now the figure is approaching the national average. Remarkable progress has been made in education, medical care, health, ecology, resident income and urban and rural construction, as well as people’s sense of happiness.
The province has also drawn professionals from other parts of China to work or start new businesses. In the past, there were no graduates from prestigious universities such