Hainan, China's southernmost island province, will beef up its low-carbon economic development during the construction of Hainan International Tourism Island, said Wei Liucheng, Party secretary of Hainan provincial committee.

Tourism?has become?the pillar industry of Hainan.?

According to a recently released State Council blueprint, Hainan will give full play to its environment and resource advantages to turn itself into a world-class sea island tourism and resort destination.

"Good environment is key to Hainan's economic and social development," Wei said. "Only when we have green mountains can we create more social wealth."

To protect the island's environment, the provincial government regards tourism as its pillar industry and expects it to boost the developing service industry. According to the State Council, the proportion of the service industry of Hainan's GDP will reach 60 percent by 2020.

Hainan has made much headway in environmental protection and economic development in the past 10 years. In 2008, its GDP amounted to 145.9 billion yuan, after increasing 12.8 percent annually since 1998. In 2008, the island had 1.97 million hectares of forest, a 13.5 percent increase in 10 years.

The tourist industry has grown rapidly, as well. The island received 20.6 million tourists from China and around the world in 2008, more than double 2000 figures. Tourism also brought in 19.2 billion yuan, a 187 percent increase in the last 10 years.