From October 14 to 17, a media delegation of nearly 30 journalists in Hainan is reporting the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) and the preparations being made for the island-wide special customs operations. The delegation includes foreign journalists from countries such as the United States, the Czech Republic, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.
During the visit, the reporters attended a Group Interview for Journalists, where Wang Bin, Member of the Standing Committee and Director-General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee, gave an overview and answered questions from the media.
With the approval of the CPC Central Committee, the Hainan Free Trade Port will officially launch its island-wide special customs operations on December 18, 2025, marking a major step in building a key gateway for China’s new era of opening up to the world.
At the group interview, the upcoming special customs operations became a focal point of attention. “During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port has taken shape and gained strong momentum. We are seeing higher-quality development, greater openness, a more optimized industrial system, a better development environment, and a stronger sense of fulfillment among the people,” said Wang Bin.
He summarized Hainan’s progress over the past five years as “one landmark leap, four major breakthroughs, and five notable achievements,” all driven by the province’s strategic strategy of “three zones and one center.”
“The one landmark leap refers to the transition of Hainan’s Free Trade Port development from a ‘successful start’ to a stage of ‘solid formation and strong momentum,’ now entering the new phase of the forthcoming ‘island-wide special customs operations,’” Wang noted. The policy and institutional framework of the Free Trade Port has now taken shape.
China’s first negative list for cross-border trade in services and the first special measures to relax market access have been introduced. The policy allowing tariff exemptions for goods sold domestically after value-added processing has been expanded to the entire island. Hainan is emerging as a new frontier of China’s opening-up, a new hotspot for regional cooperation, and a new engine driving economic globalization.
By late September 2025, the three “zero-tariff” lists had recorded an import value of 27.06 billion yuan, with 5.09 billion yuan in tariff exemptions. The value-added processing duty exemption policy had covered 11.08 billion yuan in domestic sales, exempting 860 million yuan in tariffs. The zero-tariff pharmaceutical and medical device policy had seen a declared import value of 272 million yuan, reducing tariffs by approximately 34.69 million yuan.
According to Wang, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Hainan achieved significant breakthroughs in four sectors: opening-up, technological innovation, key reforms, and green and low-carbon development, and attained notable results in five key areas including industrial systems, infrastructure, coordinated regional development, people’s livelihood & wellbeing, and integrated development & security.
Media Contact
Company Name: Hainan International Media Center (HIMC)
Contact Person: Chen Xiaodan
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City: Haikou
Country: China
Website: www.hicn.cn
