Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Dec 20 to commence ecological restoration and development of Sanjiao Island, part of the Wanshan Archipelago.

The Zhuhai demonstration project, due for completion in 2020, will provide the island with a sports and leisure resort as well as a science popularization base after its ecology is restored.

The project intends to build the first "public service + tourism" uninhabited island destination in the country, and has been included on Guangdong's key construction list this year.

Sanjiao Island is 62 hectares in size and lies 20 km from southeastern Xiangzhou District. Eight and a half nautical miles from Hong Kong and 21.6 nautical miles from Shenzhen, it's about 20 minutes away by ferry from Zhuhai and Macao.

Initial development planning for Sanjiao Island [Photo by Zhu Xi / Zhuhai Daily]

Approximately 2.2 billion yuan ($334 million) has been invested by Zhuhai Jiuzhou Holdings Blue Marine Tourism Development Co Ltd to restore the island, two-thirds of which was destroyed by historical quarrying.

The land use right was transferred to the company through a listed transaction in February. That procedure was a national first-batch demonstration project.

The island's beaches and mountain terrain will be restored with additional greenery added. Advanced technologies, such as intelligent rainwater harvesting, seawater desalination, and recycled water systems, will be introduced to create an environmentally-protective, ecologically-friendly, and intelligent all-for-one tourism demo island for the Greater Bay Area.

Slated for construction are a leisure sports experience area, a high-end leisure resort, and an infrastructure development area. The planned science education popularization base is sure to be a highlight, and will enhance public awareness of environmental protection and marine conservation.