HAI-K'OU

Pinyin Haikou, conventional Hoihow city in Hainan sheng (province), southern China. Hai-k'ou is the provincial capital of Hainan sheng. It is situated on the north coast of Hainan Island, facing the Luichow Peninsula, across the Hainan Strait (9.5 miles wide). Hai-k'ou originally grew up as the port for Ch'iung-shan, the ancient administrative capital of Hainan Island, which is situated some 3 miles (5 km) inland. It became a military post in the 13th century and was fortified under the Ming dynasty (13681644). The port is situated to the west of the mouth of the Nan-tu, Hainan's chief river. Although it has no good natural harbour, it has always been the principal port of the island. After Ch'iung-shan was opened to foreign trade under the Treaty of Tientsin (1876), Hai-k'ou began to rival the old administrative city. Hai-k'ou was created a separate administrative county in 1926; it overtook Ch'iung-shan in population in the 1930s. Hai-k'ou was much developed as a port during the Sino-Japanese War (193745) when the Japanese occupied Hainan Island from early 1939 to 1945. Since 1949, Hai-k'ou has retained its position as Hainan's main port, handling more than half of its total trade; it has replaced Ch'iung-shan as the island's administrative capital. It exports great quantities of agricultural produce and livestock. There is a small amount of industry, including canning, textiles, rice hulling, and light engineering. Pop. (1985 est.) 198,900.