China's southernmost island province of Hainan is looking to drive development through three key industries covering land, sea, and air -- including cultivating seeds, diving into deep sea exploration, and blasting off its aerospace sector to new heights, according to the island's Governor.
In an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), Governor Liu Xiaoming outlined the island's strategic focus and highlighted three key sectors that will play a pivotal role in shaping Hainan's economic landscape in the months and years ahead.
Noting how Hainan's tropical geographical location gives it a distinct advantage in agricultural development, Liu said that the seed industry is seen as a crucial area the island is targeting to advance future development, even going as far as to compare its significance to that of the major tech hub of Silicon Valley.
"Hainan is the only province in China entirely located in the tropical zone, which gives it a unique climate. As a result, 70 percent of the country's agricultural seeds are bred and cultivated here in Hainan. It's called the 'Nanfan' (literally South Breeding) Silicon Valley, because these seeds are as crucial as chips. The project plays a vital role in our country's food produce and food security. The key to that is seeds, whether they can be high-yielding, stable, and of good quality," he said as he showed off a display of seed varieties being developed on the island.
Hainan's maritime economy is also seen as another cornerstone of its future development. With nearly 2 million square kilometers of ocean under its jurisdiction, the island has been at the forefront of deep-sea exploration.
Two notable submersibles known as the "Deep Sea Warrior (Shenhai Yongshi)" and "Striver (Fendouzhe)," have played crucial roles in this endeavor.
"The ocean is the greatest advantage and characteristic of Hainan Island. The Deep Sea Warrior was put into use earlier, in 2017, while Fendouzhe (Striver) is the world's fourth full-ocean-depth manned submersible. It has dived to a depth of 10,909 meters in the Mariana Trench. These two submersibles are considered national treasures," said Liu.
"Firstly, they have a domestic development rate of over 95 percent. And they've made important discoveries, including deep-sea ecosystems and sunken ships in the South China Sea discovered by the Deep Sea Warrior. We welcome more international scientists to explore the deep sea with us," he said.
From uncovering the mysteries in the depths of the Ocean below to chasing opportunities in the stars high above, Hainan is also looking to play its part as China pushes ahead with its ambitious space program, which includes plans for manned missions to both the moon and Mars in the near future.
Liu noted the development of the aerospace sector in Hainan has also been taking shape in recent years with the construction of the Wenchang Launch Site, the first one built for commercial missions in China.
"The Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site (the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site) is China's first civilian-built, operated, and managed launch site. Starting in 2022, we began to build two commercial space launch pads, which became fully operational in 2024. On November 30 last year, the Long March-12 rocket successfully lifted off for the first time from Launch Pad 2," said the governor.
Hainan aims to drive future development through seed, deep sea, aerospace sectors
