Hainan
China launches island-wide customs operations in Hainan free trade port
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China has launched island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port, allowing freer entry of overseas goods, expanded zero-tariff coverage, and more business-friendly measures. This move is widely seen as a landmark step in China's efforts to promote free trade and high-standard opening-up amid rising global protectionism. The first batch of zero-tariff petrochemical materials has cleared customs, signaling the start of a new phase.
On December 18, Hainan became a separate customs territory from mainland China, exempting around 6,600 categories of goods from tariffs—about 74 per cent of taxable imports—to support sustainable growth as a free-trade port. The island province, home to more than 10 million people and slightly larger than Belgium, aims to move beyond its tourism-centred economy following three speculative booms and busts.
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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.