HAIKOU — Vice-Premier Han Zheng underscored advancing reform and opening-up in the southern province of Hainan to build the region into “a new model.”

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of a leading group overseeing Hainan’s comprehensive reform and opening-up, made the statement at a meeting of the group on July 2.

President Xi Jinping has personally planned for, arranged and promoted the major national strategy which entrusts new missions to the Hainan Special Economic Zone, he said.

Han urged building Hainan into a new model of China’s comprehensively deepening reform and opening-up in the new era.

The vice-premier stressed solid development of the pilot free trade zone in Hainan, and urged gradually exploring and steadily pushing ahead with the building of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics in the island province.

He said concentrated efforts should be made to further advance development of Hainan into an international tourism island and an international tourism consumption center.

Han also said the strictest rules for ecological and environmental protection should be implemented in Hainan.