The Economist.
In the time of emperors, it was a distant backwater where poets and politicians were exiled.
In the 1980s, it became notorious for its corrupt officials.
Today, its sandy beaches and five-star hotels draw rich Russians and Chinese retirees in search of some sun.
Hainan, a tropical island in the South China Sea, has tried to reinvent itself many times before.
And now, officials are trying again.
At the end of last year, China officially established Hainan as what it called the world's largest free trade port,
offering a range of incentives to businesses and investors from low taxes to freer internet access.
Beijing is now pitching it as a sun-soaked access point for foreigners seeking to tap China's vast domestic market.
And local party leaders hope to boost the island's own fortunes in the process.
But after numerous failed attempts, will this time be any different?
I'm Jeremy Page, The Economist's China correspondent, based in Taipei.
And I'm Sarah Wu, usually based in Beijing, but for this week's episode,
I exchanged the traffic jams of the capital for the sandy beaches of Hainan
to ask why China's leaders care so much about this island backwater
and if it can finally turn its fortunes around.
This is Drum Tower, from The Economist.
Hi Sarah.
So last week we were in the Arctic, and this week we're on the beach.
I don't know who got the better deal out of those travel plans.