Haikou, the capital of China's southernmost Hainan province and a renowned tourist city famous for its charming coconut trees and warm sunshine, is transforming itself into a destination that also features rich and lush wetlands, thanks to enviable progress made in the restoration of its local ecosystems.
A photo exhibition opened at the Hainan Museum in Haikou on Oct 17 centered on the theme of the province's centenarians, aiming to share Hainan's longevity culture and healthcare resources with the whole society.
To protect its precious wetland resources, Haikou has taken the lead as the first provincial capital in China to compile and implement a general plan on wetland protection.
Fourth-grader Zhang Kexin had no idea there were so many rare birds and plants on South China's tropical island province of Hainan until she visited Fengxiang Wetland Park in early September.
Many scenic spots in Hainan province recently held activities themed on Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival, which falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, to attract elderly tourists. In China, nine is a homophone of "long", thus bringing to mind the idea of longevity.
China released on Tuesday a plan to build Hainan into a pilot free trade zone－including substantial relaxation of market access for foreign companies and upgrading of trade facilitation－to create a gateway for opening up toward the Pacific and the Indian oceans.
A team of 59 Chinese researchers returned Tuesday to Sanya in southern Hainan Province from the Mariana Trench after completing a 54-day, 7,292-nautical-mile deep-sea research mission.
