HAINAN will be a mini-Hong Kong in 1997, boasting China's biggest economic zone with an efficient market economy, a senior official has predicted. Vice-Governor Mao Zhijun said Chinese and international companies would get equal treatment, adding: ''The best way to develop an efficient market economy is to adopt international trade and investment practices. ''We emphasise national treatment which means both China and the international community treat each other equally in investment and business deals.'' Mr Mao said the Government should not intervene in the enterprises. He predicted Hainan would become a ''mini-Hong Kong'' in 1997 in terms of living standards, education and cultural life. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Hainan was 14 billion yuan (about HK$18.84 billion) in 1992 which ranked 12th in the country. He hoped to increase the GDP to 45 billion yuan by 2000. Speaking at an academic conference at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) yesterday, Mr Mao said Hainan economic activities remained unaffected despite the central Government's marco-economic adjustment programme to curb inflation. To help develop Hainan into a prosperous economic zone, Mr Mao has launched a large-scale research programme with the HKUST. The university set up a research centre in Hainan and divided the programme into six study fields.
