Events Related to Development of the Hainan International Tourism Island Project

Year 2007

• On January 23, Chen Cheng, Hainan's vice governor who is in charge of tourism, met Shao Qiwei, Director of China National Tourism Administration in Haikou, to discuss building a Hainan tourism experimental zone. Shao agreed to establish comprehensive Hainan tourism experimental zones frame in principle.
• On February 28, Shao Qiwei discussed with Chen Cheng about the feasibility of establishing a comprehensive Hainan International Tourism Island experimental zone. Shao said the National Tourism Administration would fully support Hainan's application.
• On April 3, a meeting was hosted by Luo Baoming, Governor of Hainan Province, which agreed on setting up the leading group of Hainan Island integrated experimental area project. Chen Cheng was appointed leader with another 15 members such as Zhang Qi, head of the Hainan provincial tourism bureau. The team is in charge of the tracking and progressing work of establishing Hainan Island International tourism experimental zone.
• On April 23, the provincial government reported to the State Council the "instructions on the establishment of a comprehensive experimental zone of Hainan International Tourism Island".
• On June 25, a joint research group consisted of Development and Reform Commission and other five ministries and commissions arrived in Qiong (Hainan Province) for five days of inspection and survey.
• On July 15, 12 members, including Zhang Qi and Zhang Zhiping, Deputy Director of Hainan Tourism Bureau, arrived in Beijing to report their work of establishing the Hainan International Tourism Island experimental zone. Every ministry and commission expressed positive attitude on establishing the Hainan International tourism Island experimental zone.
• On August 10, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Civil Aviation Administration of China, National Tourism Administration, Ministry of Finance, General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Public Security of People's Republic of China put forward their written opinions to National Development and Reform Commission that they supported Hainan setting up an International Tourism Island comprehensive experimental zone.
• On September 5, the National Development and Reform Commission again convened a conference, attended by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Finance, General Administration of Customs, National Tourism Administration, to discuss the documents already presented to the State Council on the establishment of the Hainan International Tourism Island comprehensive experimental zone. The discussion involved two major factors: one is the name of the tourism island experimental zone, the other is the major details of the draft.
• On November 23, the National Development and Reform Commission drew up an inspection and survey report to the State Council, which distributed it to the relevant ministries, commissions and bureaus for approval.
• On December 12, national eight ministries approved the draft.
• From December 20 to 21, Chen Rujun, Deputy Secretary General of the Hainan provincial government to coordinate and follow up all certificates and documents required by Hainan International Tourism Island. Leaders of the General Office of the State Council expressed certainty about the project. The State Office instructions included the following: First, attach great importance to the big ideas of the Hainan Special Economic Zone. The policies and methods related to the opening up and growth of tourism can be tested firstly under the framework of the special economic zone. Second, the applications of the Hainan provincial government to further expand visa-free access to more countries beyond the 21 previously approved, to establish other city duty-free shops based on the original four port duty free shops, can be approved in principle. Third, in future, the opening-up and development in the Hainan travel industry would be allowed to cope with unpredictable circumstances and needs.