A little more than an hour’s flight from Hong Kong is a tropical island that likes to market itself as “China’s Hawai‘i.” But unlike Hawai‘i, this location is looking for a population explosion. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.
China’s Hainan Island wants to add another 1-million new residents over the next eight years. That would boost the island’s population by more than ten-percent.
It’s all about economic development, and speeding up that process.
Chinese President Xi Jinping recently chose Hainan to become the country’s largest free-trade zone. That opens up opportunities for investment and development — but the local workforce apparently needs a boost in numbers.
This week, the provincial government laid out some details about how it plans to attract all those new residents.
Subsidized housing is a draw, and work visas will be easier to obtain. But there are some restrictions, the island is looking for what officials consider “qualified residents.”
Education is a critical aspect — and so is age.
A monthly subsidy for housing is available for those under forty with university degrees — the subsidy is bigger for those with master’s degrees.
The government says it wants to attract foreigners as part of its population growth, but here the standards are a little less clear — beyond a reference to “qualified technicians” and other skilled workers.
The plan is on a fast track with a goal of attracting 200,000 new residents within the next two years.