On January 15th, Liu Cigui, secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Congress, met with the group of foreign diplomats attending activities of global promotion in Haikou.
In February 2018, Hainan Global Promotion took place in Beijing with envoys from more than 160 countries being attracted, Many of them paid a return visit to Hainan to further enhance mutual understanding and seek for cooperation.
“We have been old friends after contacting with each other for many times.” said Liu Cigui, who warmly welcomed their visit. He pointed out that the past year witnessed remarkable development throughout Hainan’s history. Important national strategies, such as the construction of China (Hainan) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and Free Trade Port with Chinese Characteristics planned, deployed and promoted by President Xi Jinping personally, provide Hainan with unique historical opportunities. Hainan will firmly pledge to implement the decisions and deployment made by President Xi and central government, and focus on the “three zones and one center” construction. Meanwhile, it is hoped to consolidate the outcomes gained through comprehensively deepening reform and opening-up, and ensure a rising and prosperous Hainan with the increasing number of foreign tourists and international enterprises.
Liu stressed that we should uphold openness and take it as first priority when building China (Hainan) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and Free Trade Port with Chinese Characteristics. Hainan attaches great importance to the cooperation and exchanges with all countries in the world, especially those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. There are many common features shared by Hainan and countries in this visit, by virtue of which we can strengthen mutual understanding, exchanges views on development experience and seek for cooperation. We will continue to increase international airlines, strengthen inter-connectivity and communications and give full play to the role of platforms such as Boao Forum for Asia, as well as enhance economic and trade collaboration in tropical agriculture, ocean, aerospace and service trade; we need to pursue cultural and people-to-people exchanges in education, health care, culture and sports so as to share development opportunities and achievements of comprehensive reform and opening-up, thus working hand in hand to advance the building of a community with a share future.
On behalf of the group of foreign diplomats, Ambassador to China of Sri Lanka Kodituwakku extended his thanks to the invitation of the Hainan Provincial CPC Committee and Hainan provincial government, and wished the construction of China (Hainan) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and Free Trade Port with Chinese Characteristics a better future. He added that this visit featuring the largest group and highest level in recent years embodies the fact that Hainan has gained much popularity among foreign diplomats. We all hope to engage in Chinese market through Hainan when great achievements in economic and social development, and ecological environment protection were introduced during the visit. There are a lot of common things shared by Sri Lanka and China. It is hoped to enhance exchanges and cooperation of both sides and further learn from the successful case of Hainan. Meanwhile, we need to reinforce cooperation in tourism, investment and agriculture as well.
Hu Guanghui, member of the CPC Hainan Standing Committee, ambassadors to China from Slovenija, Cape Verde, Micronesia, Vanuatu, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Peru, Montenegro, Fiji, Spain and Somalia, as well as envoys in China from Belarus, Togo, Chile, Maldives and Afghanistan attended the meeting and reception.