Launch center drives Hainan tourism

Thousands of tourists and space fans flocked to northeast Hainan province on Saturday night to witness the successful maiden launch of the Long March 7 carrier rocket.

It lifted off at 8 pm from Wenchang Space Launch Center, which has become the driving force for development in Wenchang city since construction began in 2009.

Luneng Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of State Grid Corp involved in clean energy and real estate, is one of the companies to see the city's potential. It plans billions of yuan in investment.