Local authorities in the southern Chinese province of Hainan announced Sunday they would create a new district amid plans to establish a pilot free trade zone on the island.

The Jiangdong New Area of Haikou is located to the east of Haikou, the provincial capital of Hainan, and covers an area of 298 square kilometers. It stands out for its unique geographical location, sound ecological environment, and potential development advantages.

China is aiming to achieve "important progress" in building Hainan into a pilot free trade zone by 2020 and to "basically establish" a free trade port system in Hainan by 2025.‍

The area connects the eastern ecological functional zone and the western industrial zone together. The former one is about 106 square kilometers, including 33 square kilometers of Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve, an important wetland. The western part is about 192 square kilometers, and home to the Airport Industrial Park, the Guilin Yang National Tropical Agriculture Park, the Guilin Yang University Area and the Yanjiang Life Area. 

With the aim of becoming a world-class, zero-carbon city and a leading ecological CBD, Jiangdong New Area will fully avail its advantages in a bid to create a successful model of urban and rural integration in China.

The bidding work for the conceptual planning project of the Jiangdong New Area was launched on Sunday.