Hainan is an underdeveloped island and its development will be totally different from Dubai, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Wei Liucheng told reporters outside the annual session of the National People's Congress in Beijing.

A former small fishing village, Dubai became one of the fastest developed cities after the United Arab Emirates discovered a large amount of crude oil there in 1966. Hainan remains mostly poor, and its development into an international tourism island is expected to take years.

About housing prices in Hainan, Wei said the government has taken measures to curb the rising prices. Hainan will build 100,000 affordable apartments this year.