For many Chinese people, Sanya in South China's Hainan province is the ideal destination for coastal tourism. However, for many business startups, the city is emerging as a prime choice for entrepreneurial success.

Deep-sea innovation

Xu Shupeng of Hainan Langyan Optoelectronics Technology has been running a company in the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City for two years. As the deputy general manager of the company, he arrives at work every day to inspect equipment, collect and organize data, formulate research plans and promote products.

"I came to Sanya to solidify our technology advantages and expand our product line, trying to transform the scientific research achievements from universities into marketable products," he said.

Since its launch in July 2023, Langyan has filed 14 patents in just two years. With an annual turnover exceeding 5 million yuan ($709,522) in 2025, it is securing a firm foothold in the field of ultrafast laser precision control.

At present, the company has developed a high-energy femtosecond laser, YbFemto-HP, a device widely known as "the fastest knife" that can cut, drill holes and groove the surface of hard materials. In Hainan, however, this product has a more important role: applying superhydrophobic, anti-corrosion and rust-removal treatments to the hulls of ships engaged in deep-sea exploration.

Access to nearby deep-sea resources was a key factor behind Langyan's decision to set up in Sanya. Nanshan Port, located in Sanya's Yazhou district, is the closest port in China to sea areas with a water depth of 1,000 meters. It takes only half a day to sail from here to the area. "This geographical convenience allows our equipment to complete testing quickly," Xu said.

Apart from the tax incentives and trade facilitation policies of the YZBSTC, the city's focus on deep-sea technology and high-end equipment is aligned with the application scenarios of the company's core businesses such as marine laser equipment, Xu said.

In the initial stage of entrepreneurship, the company was confronted with a series of challenges, including difficulties in recruiting high-end technical talent, weak connections with the local supply chain and heavy financial pressure.

The targeted incubation services provided by the YZBSTC played a crucial role — they not only offered key support such as talent apartments, settlement subsidies and shared laboratories, but also organized industry-university-research collaborations and matched industry chain resources, helping Langyan establish operations and achieve market expansion.

Recalling the differences between working in Sanya and Shanghai, where Xu used to work as a researcher, he said that while the fast-paced work environment in Shanghai can drive rapid personal growth, excessive pressure may instead restrict performance. In Sanya, the more balanced work rhythm enables people to focus more energy on work and pursue their aspirations wholeheartedly.

Nanshan Port, facing the South China Sea and backed by Yazhou Bay, is Sanya's sole seaport for foreign-oriented maritime transportation, serving both scientific research and cargo transportation.

Backed by industries in the YZBSTC, the policy dividends of the Hainan Free Trade Port — including zero tariffs, low tax rates and a simplified tax system — will be fully realized after the island-wide special customs operations. This is expected to significantly reduce institutional costs for key industries.

As a key industrial park for the construction of the Hainan FTP, the YZBSTC is developing two major sectors: breeding science and deep-sea technology.

Focusing on industries such as deep-sea equipment, marine pastures, marine energy, marine biomedicine and marine public services, it has attracted high-profile research institutes and leading enterprises, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, Ocean University of China, the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and China State Shipbuilding Corporation.