An opinion piece argues that comparing Hainan to the next Hong Kong is flawed, as Hong Kong operates as a special administrative region under “one country, two systems” while Hainan does not. Author Liang Haiming suggests Hong Kong should leverage its special status to enhance Hainan’s experiment, securing its own indispensable role rather than viewing it as a rival.
The South China Morning Post published an opinion piece on January 1, 2026, titled “Is Hainan the next Hong Kong? That’s the wrong question to ask,” examining Hainan Free Trade Port’s development. The article stresses that this comparison overlooks a critical structural difference: Hong Kong operates as a special administrative region under “one country, two systems,” while Hainan does not. This is not a minor legal detail but the core reason Hainan should be viewed as Hong Kong’s most promising partner on the mainland, not a competitor.
Author Liang Haiming, who has followed this development closely, believes Hong Kong would not be boosting a rival but securing its own indispensable role by leveraging its special status to enhance Hainan’s experiment. The piece references keywords such as Hainan Free Trade Port, Hengqin Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone, and comparisons to Southeast Asia and Singapore, but emphasizes partnership over rivalry.
This perspective aims to reframe the relationship between Hainan and Hong Kong, highlighting complementarity rather than replacement.