A view of Sanya, Hainan Province (HAINAN DAILY)

The Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) officially launched island-wide special customs operations on 18 December 2025. One month in, reporters from China International Communications Group (CICG) conducted an exclusive interview with Feng Fei, secretary of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hainan Provincial People’s Congress. 

Drawing on early results and the policy benefits already taking shape, Feng shared insights into Hainan’s core strengths, development potential and the opportunities it offers to the world. 

CICG: Island-wide special customs operations have been described as a critical milestone for Hainan. In your view, how will this move promote China’s interaction with the global economy? And how will it redefine Hainan’s role in global trade networks? 

Feng Fei: As General Secretary Xi Jinping noted, the official launch of island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan FTP on 18 December 2025 is a landmark step in China’s unwavering commitment to expanding high-level opening up and advancing an open world economy. 

Under special customs operations, the Hainan FTP will play a leading role in advancing high-level opening up. Centred on a policy framework featuring zero tariffs, low tax rates and a simplified tax system, as well as free and convenient trade, investment, cross-border capital flows, personnel mobility and transportation, and the secure and orderly flow of data, Hainan will connect on one end with China’s enormous unified national market and on the other with international markets. 

To this end, we are accelerating the development of “two bases, two hubs and two networks.” The two bases are a headquarters base for Chinese enterprises expanding into international markets and a headquarters base for foreign enterprises entering the Chinese market. The two hubs are an international shipping hub for the New Western Land-Sea Corridor and a regional aviation gateway to the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. The two networks focus on international economic and trade cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, respectively. 

These measures are designed to transform Hainan from a regional trade node into a comprehensive trade hub that links domestic and international markets, with a focus on Southeast Asia and beyond. 

The Yangpu International Container Terminal following the launch of island-wide special customs operations in Hainan Province (HAINAN DAILY)

During the first month of island-wide special customs operations, what key data or concrete examples best demonstrate how the system is working in practice? What have been the biggest challenges, and how has Hainan addressed them? 

Based on feedback from all sides, the island-wide special customs operations have run smoothly and in an orderly manner, with an encouraging start. Results are evident in the smooth flow of goods, the facilitation of personnel mobility and the aggregation of factors. 

In the first month, from 18 December 2025 to 17 January 2026, the number of entities benefitting from the “zero tariff” policy increased by over 10,000, maintaining steady growth. The value of imported goods reached 750 million yuan ($107.62 million), a year-on-year increase of 38.9 percent. 

The appeal of opening up has grown significantly. The province completed 32,800 flight take-offs and landings, a month-on-month increase of 9.8 percent. Inbound and outbound passenger trips through Hainan’s “first-line ports” reached 289,000, a year-on-year increase of 31.3 percent. Of those, 82,000 were visa-free entries, up 64 percent year on year. 

New foreign-invested enterprises grew by 13 percent year on year, and over 5,100 new foreign trade enterprises were registered, reflecting a further optimisation of the economic structure. For example, Siemens Energy has established its first gas turbine assembly base and service centre in Hainan. Boao Fulong Cardiovascular Hospital, the first wholly foreign-owned hospital, has been approved to operate. Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines launched the country’s first seventh-freedom air route, connecting Sanya to Prague. 

Outbound trucks pass the centralised examination site for the Haikou Xinhai Port and Nangang Port (HAINAN DAILY)

Strong intellectual property (IP) protection is a major concern for foreign investors. What specific measures has Hainan implemented to align with international trade rules and protect IP? 

Effective IP protection is a major factor in attracting foreign investment. In recent years, Hainan has worked to become a leader in IP protection, ensuring equal treatment for all business entities and rigorously combating infringement. In 2025, the province recorded the highest nationwide growth in its IP development index. Legally, the Hainan Free Trade Port Law includes specific IP protections in Article 23, supported by additional regulations and a dedicated IP court, providing strong safeguards. 

On the platform side, Hainan focuses on key sectors such as the Nanfan seed industry, deep-sea technology, commercial aerospace, biomedicine and equipment manufacturing. The province has established the Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City IP Special Zone, comprehensive IP service demonstration areas in Sanya and Haikou, and two sub-centres for overseas IP dispute resolution. 

In international cooperation, Hainan leverages the Yazhou Bay IP Special Zone and the Boao Forum for Asia to facilitate global IP exchanges. Collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation strengthens IP protection, talent development and green, low-carbon initiatives. Hainan is also aligning with high-standard trade rules, implementing 20 action measures under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and 16 measures for deeper cooperation with RCEP member states. 

Protecting IP according to the law is a core priority of the Hainan FTP, and the province will continue working diligently to improve its standards. 

The “Windows to Global Trade” venue in Haikou, Hainan Province (HAINAN DAILY)

How can Hainan protect its unique ecological environment while pursuing rapid development? 

Hainan is our country’s tropical treasure island. We are committed to building it into an ecologically advanced province, coordinating ecological protection, green development and improvements in people’s livelihoods. Our efforts focus on three areas. 

First, we ensure Hainan’s ecological environment only improves. The province led nationally by issuing a provincial biodiversity conservation strategy and action plan (2023–2030) and ranks among the top in species diversity and endemic species. Second, we are advancing the “2+N” landmark projects under the National Ecological Civilisation Pilot Zone. These flagship initiatives enhance both the quality and effectiveness of the pilot zone’s development. 

Third, we are promoting the transformation of “lucid waters and lush mountains” into invaluable assets while pursuing our dual-carbon goals. Our approach, summarised as “three sets of three,” integrates the world’s most advanced green and low-carbon technologies, best practices and effective policy and institutional frameworks; coordinates environmental, social and economic objectives; and balances the economic costs and benefits for enterprises, households and the government. 

Through these measures, Hainan aims to achieve sustainable growth while safeguarding its unique ecological environment. 

A rocket is launched from the Hainan Commercial Spacecraft Launch Site on 19 January (XINHUA) 

How do opening-up policies directly benefit ordinary residents of Hainan?  

The Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) with Chinese characteristics is advancing common prosperity. Whether people genuinely feel a sense of gain is a key measure of its success. We follow a people-centred approach, doing our utmost to safeguard and improve livelihoods, ensuring residents enjoy tangible benefits from the Hainan FTP. 

Income growth is a priority. About 80 percent of Hainan’s land is rural, around 40 percent of residents live in rural areas, and agriculture contributes roughly 20 percent of GDP. By combining the port’s opening-up policies with agricultural and rural development initiatives, we have increased disposable income for both urban and rural residents. The urban-rural income ratio has narrowed to below 2-to-1, significantly better than the national average. 

In terms of employment, the port’s policies and investment climate have attracted high-quality enterprises, generating jobs. In the first three quarters of 2025, new urban employment rose 8.4 percent year on year, maintaining a stable trend. 

To stabilise prices, we have established a mechanism covering production, transport, sales and storage of essential commodities, strengthening supply and cross-regional distribution. This ensures residents can access premium products and high-quality services locally, directly translating the benefits of opening up into everyday life. 

For international investors and entrepreneurs still observing and assessing the situation, what is the core message you want to convey? 

Within less than a month of launching island-wide special customs operations, we have achieved notable results: goods are flowing smoothly, people are moving conveniently, and business activity is concentrating. Currently, 22 Fortune Global 500 foreign-invested enterprises have established operations in Hainan. To date, 131 headquarters or regional headquarters have been set up, with investment from 180 countries and regions. Choosing Hainan means choosing opportunity; investing in Hainan means investing in the future. 

First, the scale of opening up is unprecedented. The Hainan Free Trade Port aligns with the world’s highest levels of openness, implementing trade and investment liberalisation and adopting policies that meet international standards. The zero-tariff policy now covers 6,637 tariff lines, 74 percent of all lines. 

Second, the foundation for industrial development is solid. Leveraging Hainan’s policies, natural resources and trends in technological and industrial transformation, we are strengthening and upgrading four leading industries: tourism, modern services, the high-tech sector and tropical high-efficiency agriculture. Our goal is to create a modern industrial system that is advanced, distinctive and structured. 

Third, the business environment continues to improve. We are developing a first-rate, market-oriented, law-based and internationalised environment. A one-stop international commercial dispute resolution mechanism has been established, integrating mediation, arbitration and litigation. 

Finally, we sincerely invite investors worldwide to invest and do business in Hainan. Let us share the opportunities of this era and build an open world economy together.