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A Ship-Shape Economy
Sansha Mayor Xiao Jie illustrates booming tourism in China's southernmost city
By Li Nan & Yu Lintao | Web Exclusive

The Sansha City Government complex on Yongxing Island (XINHUA)

Yagong, Yinyu and Quanfu are small islands in the Yongle Archipelago in the South China Sea. Three years ago, no one thought they had the space needed to build up a robust tourism industry.

But with some creative positioning, the problem of space has been solved. Cruise ships are the answer, said Xiao Jie, National People's Congress deputy and Mayor of Sansha, the city in Hainan Province that administers the islands.

Sansha City, founded in 2012, is China's southernmost city with jurisdiction over the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha islands. The Yongle Archipelago is part of the Xisha Islands.

According to Xiao, tourists come by cruise ships, where they live and dine, alighting only to savor the recreation offered by the islands without straining their resources or damaging the environment.

"These islands are too small to accommodate so many tourists," Xiao said. "Besides, an overcrowded island would leave the ecosystem vulnerable."

With this in mind, tourists are required to bring the waste they produce back onboard. "Many tourists are well aware of environmental protection issues and voluntarily remove the rubbish along the coast," Xiao said. In the three years since the cruises started, the three islands and their surrounding waters have become cleaner and greener.

"There was only one tree on Yagong Island. But now there are hundreds. These green islands provide a better landscape," Xiao said.

Sansha Mayor Xiao Jie (SHI GANG)

The Sansha Government has already opened more than 120 cruise routes for tourism and is still planning to increase cruise routes and diversify tourist products. "We will improve our infrastructure and management mechanism," Xiao said. Old ships will be phased out as part of the changes for better services.

While prioritizing tourism development, Sansha is also seeking companies specializing in environmental protection, fishery and oil and gas to set up business. "Coral reef restoration and afforestation enterprises are urgently needed," the mayor said.

The government is formulating preferential policies on finance, tax and talent attraction. Since the city is too small to be the headquarters of industries, it is promoting a "business registration economy." It means businesses can register in Sansha but operate from a different place. On the basis of this concept, the government is inviting more financial institutions to open offices on the island.

Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar

Comments to linan@bjreview.com 

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