Haikou - Hainan provincial government has ordered the cities of Haikou and Sanya to launch tough measures to cool local property prices, which have soared after the government announced plans to develop the island province into an international tourism hotspot.

Qu Jianmin, deputy secretary-general of the provincial government, said on Wednesday that local governments should take measures to increase the housing supply and suppress speculation.

Haikou and Sanya were told to launch the measures before the end of March.