Program brings life back to coastlines

Landlords have raised rents this winter for apartments along Sanya Bay in Sanya, a renowned resort in tropical Hainan province that sees up to 100,000 tourists a day during major holidays.

And they have good reason: the beaches have been expanded and filled with good quality sand, more trees have been planted and more birds can be seen flying and dancing over the sea.

"We don't care about the rent increases because we have a better environment and enjoy ourselves more here than before," said Lao Wang, from northeastern Jilin province, who "flies south" with his wife to Sanya during winter.