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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) — The Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) plans to launch independent customs operations across the island on Dec. 18, 2025, underscoring China's push for high-level opening-up.
In the latest edition of the all-media discussion program “China Economic Roundtable” hosted by Xinhua News Agency, senior officials from key economic departments in China shared policy considerations on the Hainan FTA and its role in advancing the country's opening-up strategy.
As China’s largest special economic zone, Hainan has unique advantages as a testing ground for reform and opening up. In April 2018, China announced plans to turn the island into a pilot free trade zone with a long-term vision of developing a free trade port with Chinese characteristics. A master plan released in 2020 aimed to transform Hainan into a world-renowned hub of high-level opening up by mid-century.
"The launch of an independent customs service across the island will give Hainan province more freedom to implement pilot opening-up measures with higher standards," said Cai Ping, a spokeswoman for China's National Development and Reform Commission.
These initiatives will not only promote the island's high-quality development, but also serve as a testing ground for broader national reform and opening-up, sending a clear signal to the world that China's commitment to high-level opening-up is unwavering and that its doors will continue to open even wider, Cai Ping said.
ZERO-TARIFF BENEFITS
"This step is aimed at expanding openness and accelerating development," Cai Ping said, stressing that Hainan's opening up is not only about lifting restrictions but also about systematically building an institutional framework to ensure the free and efficient movement of people, goods and capital.
The centerpiece of the policy is a strengthened zero-tariff policy. “Enterprises will enjoy greater benefits under the zero-tariff,” said Wu Jingfang, a spokeswoman for China’s Ministry of Finance.
The share of tariff items with zero tariffs in the Hainan PST will increase from 21 percent to 74 percent, and the number of duty-free goods on Hainan Island will increase from about 1,900 to 6,600.
Imported products whose added value after processing in Hainan reaches at least 30 percent of the original value can be imported for sale in other regions of China without customs duties. In addition, some goods that are currently banned from import nationwide will be subject to open import regulations in Hainan.
According to Wu Jingfang, these measures will further reduce business costs, help attract enterprises engaged in the extraction and processing of raw materials to Hainan, and promote the cluster development of production chains.
She said that after the introduction of an independent customs system with zero tariffs, high-quality global resources will be able to enter Hainan with greater freedom and efficiency.
Trade liberalization and facilitation are the hallmarks of the FTA. Jiang Zijun, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, emphasized that the key direction of the FTA trade policy is to adopt more favorable measures on zero tariffs along with more relaxed trade management rules.
A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO OPENNESS
Experts say launching an unprecedented, island-wide independent customs operation is a complex undertaking with no clear plan.
It is a "complex and systemic project" that requires careful coordination in policy transition, risk management and regulatory coordination, Tsai Ping said.
According to her, in the future, the Hainan FTA will prioritize promoting the free and efficient flow of key production factors, including trade, investment, cross-border capital, personnel and logistics, as well as the safe and orderly movement of data.
In response to the growing needs of the Hainan Development Program and China's broader push for opening up, the Ministry of Finance will continue to push forward tax reform, Wu Jingfang said. Key priorities will include promoting preferential corporate and personal income tax policies to attract talent and leading enterprises, and expanding the range of zero-tariff products.
With an optimized business environment, Hainan has become one of China's leading regions in attracting foreign investment.
From 2020 to 2024, Hainan attracted more foreign investment than in the entire 32 years since it became a province, and its trade in goods increased by an average of more than 30 percent annually.
Against the backdrop of rising protectionism and growing challenges to the global trade order, the planned launch of an independent customs service across Hainan Island and the step-by-step measures to establish a policy and institutional framework for a highly open FTA send a clear signal of China's commitment to deeper liberalization and advancing economic globalization, said Guo Da, head of the China Institute of Reform and Development.
According to Jiang Zijun, the Ministry of Commerce will make more efforts to support Hainan in bringing it into line with high-level international economic and trade rules, enhancing institutional openness and stimulating new growth factors through targeted measures.
“With independent customs operations, Hainan FCP is poised to become a key gateway to a new era of openness and innovation in China,” Cai Ping added. -0-
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