Hainan sci-tech park dedicated to innovative development

The Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City (YZBSTC) in south China's coastal island province of Hainan has been dedicated to innovative development featuring crop science and deep-sea technology.

Riding on the favorable conditions of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), Sanya City designated a precious coastal area of nearly 70 square kilometers for the development of a key industrial park focusing on cutting-edge sectors such as crop science and deep-sea technology.

In merely five years, the industrial park has attracted thousands of research institutions, universities and enterprises to settle down, with more than 20,000 employees in the park.

Established in 2022, the National Center of Technology Innovation for Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice in the park has made great contributions to China's hybrid rice industry.

"This is our saline field, which has been divided into different small zones with varying salt concentrations to treat rice, aiming to screen for the varieties that are salt-tolerance, high-yielding, and exhibit good comprehensive agricultural traits," said Tang Jie, a researcher of the center.

As a major stronghold for deep-sea technological advancements, the YZBSTC is an ideal location for deep-sea equipment testing with geographical advantages.

"We have such advantages in Sanya that it's on the coast line of the South China Sea, and that we can easily reach the deep sea by boat, which are quite conducive to our research in relevant marine sciences," said Gao Yangyang, a professor with Zhejiang University Ocean College.

At night, the industrial park becomes a testbed for deep-sea lighting equipment.

"So far, this type of light has been used in batch on three of our country's manned submersibles. We have achieved complete localization in small and medium-power categories and filled an international gap in high-power applications," said Sun Yan, deputy manager of Fuzhao (Hainan) Technology Co., Ltd.

The park is now home to 34 provincial and ministerial-level science and innovation platforms, attracting over 2,600 high-level talents and hosting more than 10,000 technology-based enterprises.

"The industrial park has provided an excellent environment for scientific research, with the layout of numerous major scientific research platforms. We can carry out cooperation, even interdisciplinary, with a variety of high-level research institutions and universities, enabling more diversified collaborations," said Chen Rouxi, deputy head of BGI-Sanya.

Over the past five years, the park has successively established several significant infrastructure platforms, including the Nanshan Port, China's first public terminal for scientific investigation vessels, and a global hub for the introduction and transfer of animal and plant genetic resources. These efforts have facilitated the completion of 432 sci-tech advance applications.

The park registered a cumulative revenue of nearly a 100 billion yuan (about 14 billion U.S. dollars), highlighting the rapid emergence of industrial agglomeration effects.

Hainan sci-tech park dedicated to innovative development

People in east China's Jiangxi Province have experienced profound changes in all aspects of life, as both material conditions and cultural-spiritual ethos have improved, including the revival of traditional theater and advancements in modern agriculture.

Jiangxi, home to the ancient art form of Gan Opera, boasts a rich cultural history. Recognized as an intangible cultural heritage (ICH), Gan Opera has deep roots in the province's traditions.

Chen Li, a professor at Nanchang University, plays a dual role as both an educator and a dedicated inheritor of this centuries-old art form.

In her earlier Gan Opera appreciation classes, the focus was largely on theory, which left students disengaged. To spark their interest, she introduced more interactive elements, like having students wear traditional costumes and actively participate in opera performances.

As the lessons became more hands-on, enthusiasm grew, with some students even sharing class videos online, making the course an unexpected hit.

"I'm deeply moved to see so many students arriving one or two hours earlier to secure a seat," Chen said.

This resurgence of interest in Gan Opera is also the result of broader national efforts to promote traditional Chinese culture, which have sparked a growing passion for the art form, especially among younger generations.

Meanwhile, dramatic changes are also reshaping rural life in Jiangxi, particularly in agriculture. Ding Dan, a local farmer born in the 1990s, has been at the forefront of this transformation, experiencing firsthand the rapid advancements in agricultural technology.

"Modern agricultural technology is advancing incredibly fast. Take this machine, for example. It's something we'd never seen around here before. Now, you can see that it's widely applicable from spraying pesticides to fertilizing," said Ding, pointing to a drone.

Thanks to mechanization, Ding was able to lease over 9,400 mu (about 627 hectares) of land this year, a task that used to be much more challenging.

Ding also noted changes in land-use rights transfer. Previously, he had to negotiate door-to-door with each family. Now, transparent bidding systems have made the process more streamlined and standardized.

"But it's not enough just to know how to farm. We also have to keep improving our techniques and technologies," he added.

People in Jiangxi impressed with wide-ranging socio-economic changes