The total length of highways in Hainan is expected to exceed 1,153 kilometers by the end of 2019, according to Lin Dong, head of the Department of Transportation of Hainan Province, during a press conference held on Sept 26 in Haikou.
This is the eighth press conference on Hainan's achievements over the seven decades since the founding of the People's Republic of China. During the conference, Lin discussed the island province's major transportation accomplishments.
Seventy years ago, Hainan's connection with the outside world was made possible through wooden boats, and at that time, the Haikou Xiuying Port could only host vessels with a weight of less than 500 tons. Hainan had no highway and it took days to travel across the island. The Dayingshan Airport, which was replaced by the Haikou Meilan International Airport in 1999, offered only four flights with a very limited number of passengers who needed to present a number of documents to board.
Now, according to Lin, a dense and interconnected road network is taking shape in Hainan, with all counties and cities throughout the island expected to be linked via expressways.
In March this year, Hainan completed the Haiwen Bridge, which is the most seismic-resistant structure in China. It was designed to resist even the strongest winds. The Yangpu Bridge, Qinglan Bridge, and Boao Tunnel have also contributed to integrated regional development and have made it possible to travel the island within two hours.
According to statistics, Hainan has 35,023 kilometers of road open to traffic, and the density of its road network is 103.3 kilometers per 100 square kilometers, ranking 14th in the country. The "one vertical plus three horizontal plus four rings" road network is also beginning to take shape.
The shipping industry in Hainan has also witnessed tremendous changes, and by 2018 the combined cargo throughput of all ports in Hainan stood at 182.86 million tons. The island province has opened nine international and 33 domestic maritime shipping routes.
Hainan currently boasts four airports - Haikou Meilan International Airport, Sanya Phoenix International Airport, Qionghai Boao Airport, and Yongxing Island Airport. The annual passenger throughput of the former two has exceeded 20 million passengers, making Hainan the third place in the country with two airports capable hosting 20 million passengers annually, after Shanghai and Guangdong.
Lin Dong discusses Hainan's achievements in transportation at a press conference on Sept 26 in Haikou. [Photo/hinews.cn]
Overview
Haikou 
Sanya 
