Haikou named among China's top 10 most livable cities

en.hainan.gov.cn

Updated: 2026-01-09

Haikou, capital of China's southernmost Hainan province, has been ranked 8th place among the most livable cities in the country, according to the Cities' Comprehensive Development Index Report (2025) recently released by the China National Institute of Standardization.

The report highlights Haikou's strengths in 3 key areas: a superior ecological environment, public services catering to all age groups and dynamic economic growth fueled by Hainan Free Trade Port (Hainan FTP) policies.

Excellent ecological environment

An aerial view of Haikou Volcanic Cluster Global Geopark. [Photo/VCG]

Haikou's livability is rooted in its exceptional natural environment, beginning with air quality that ranks among the best in China. Statistics indicate that multiple indicators, including PM10, have met the country's highest air quality standards for seven years in a row.

The city has pioneered an innovative wetland ecosystem management approach, expanding its total wetland area to 32,202.38 hectares — 13.32 percent of its total land area. This achievement contributed to Haikou being designated an International Wetland City in 2018.

A view of sunset glow over Haikou Bay. [Photo/VCG]

Furthermore, a network of pocket parks and street green spaces across the city allows residents to enjoy greenery right outside their windows and go to parks a few steps away.

Hainan FTP-driven economic vitality

An aerial view of the container terminal at Haikou Port. [Photo/VCG]

As a core area of the Hainan FTP, Haikou continues to turn policy advantages into sustained growth momentum. A key policy, the import tariff exemption on products with no less than 30 percent added value after processing, has been expanded to sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food processing, jewelry processing and equipment manufacturing.

The city is currently upgrading its leading industries and cultivating new quality productive forces. Major developments include:

• Jiangdong New Area’s modern trade and services cluster has surpassed 800 billion yuan ($112.69 billion) in total operating revenue;

• Haikou National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone’s biomedical industry has been recognized as one of the national specialized industrial clusters for small and medium-sized enterprises;

• Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone has been classified as a national Class-A comprehensive bonded zone;

• Fullsing Internet Industrial Park’s digital economy cluster has been included in the province’s list of key industrial clusters targeted for 100-billion-yuan-scale development.

This economic dynamism is attracting talent from far and wide. As of May 2025, Haikou has attracted some 510,000 professionals from various fields, accounting for 60 percent of the province’s total.

The city’s business environment has also earned national recognition for two consecutive years. This achievement is supported by efficient government services such as a fully digitalized business setup platform and a 12345 government service hotline with over 95 percent satisfaction rate.

Age-friendly public services

An aerial view of the 2025 Haikou Book Fair. [Photo/VCG]

Haikou is committed to building a livable and happy city for all demographics, from the elderly and children to the working-age population.

The city’s Qiongshan district has developed a community-based elderly service model that is selected as a national exemplary case for 2025 — the only one from Hainan province to receive this honor. Upgraded community canteens for the elderly now serve as multifunctional neighborhood hubs, extending their role from basic aid to broader community convenience.

This autumn semester, 7 new educational projects were completed in Haikou, adding 8,700 public school seats. The city has streamlined enrollment through digital platforms, enabling parents to complete the process in about one minute.

So far this year, Haikou has hosted 20 large-scale concerts and music festivals, attracting 387,300 attendances and generating an estimated comprehensive economic contribution of 1.75 billion yuan ($246.52 million).

The "City Comprehensive Development Index" (CCDI) is a scientific assessment framework aligned with both the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and China's urban development policies. It evaluated 36 cities across six dimensions — innovation, livability, beauty, resilience, civility and smart governance — using 90 specific indicators. The top 10 most livable cities are Beijing, Jinan, Qingdao, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Haikou, Guiyang and Fuzhou.