China's Hainan to tighten motor vehicle emission control

HAIKOU -- South China's Hainan Province will implement stricter emission control measures on motor vehicles this year to control air pollution, the provincial government said.

The island province plans to implement the stricter State VI emissions standard, which is equivalent to the Euro VI standard, on all new cars by September this year. Petrol and diesel products meeting State VI standards will also be available province-wide beginning July.

In addition, the provincial government will take measures to limit the number of vehicles in the island, including restricting registration transfers of out-of-province vehicles and controlling the number of cars traveling to Hainan. It will also speed up efforts to phase out obsolete motor vehicles.

With no major factory pollution, Hainan has better air conditions than most parts of China. Haikou, the provincial capital, topped Chinese cities with best air quality in 2017, according to China's Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The new emission control measures come amid Hainan's efforts to become a world-class tourist destination. The island received more than 1.1 million overseas tourists in 2017, up nearly 50 percent year on year, according to the provincial tourism development commission.

A three-year plan will be rolled out this year to make the island a top-tier destination, with preferential policies such as visa-free services, ticket promotions and upgrades in service quality.