Island takes steps to boost private sector

A substantial number of Chinese private companies have been attracted to Hainan since the central government announced in April that it would transform the entire island of Hainan into the country's 12th and largest free trade pilot zone.

By the end of October, Hainan had signed 214 project agreements with investors from outside the tropical island, 60 percent of which were invested by privately run firms, according to the Hainan Provincial Department of Commerce.

Liu Cigui, Party chief of Hainan province, said at a recent meeting that private enterprises and private entrepreneurs have always been an irreplaceable force for Hainan to comprehensively deepen reforms and opening-up, and to accelerate the construction of a better and new Hainan.