Hainan Free Trade Port

Abstract

On April 13, 2018, President Xi Jinping announced at the ceremony for celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Hainan Province as a special economic zone that the CPC Central Committee decided to support Hainan in developing the whole island into a pilot free trade zone, gradually exploring and steadily promoting the establishment of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics and establishing the free trade port policy and system step-by-step and stage-by-stage. 1 Subsequently, the “Guiding Opinions on Supporting Hainan for Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Opening-Up” was issued. It defined the strategic positioning of “Three Zones and One Center” for Hainan to build a comprehensive deepening reform and opening-up pilot zone, a national ecological civilization pilot zone, an international tourism consumption center, and a national major strategic service guarantee zone. At the same time, the specific development goals were put forward: By 2025, the free trade port system will be initially established, and the business environment will reach the first-class level in China; the modernisation level of governance system and governance capacity will be significantly improved; and the ecological environment quality will continue to maintain the leading level in China. By 2035, the system and operation mode of free trade port will be more mature, and the business environment will be among the top in the world. By the middle of the twenty-first century, the system will realise socialist modernisation, form a highly marketisation, internationalised, legalised and modernised system, and become a leading region in the aspect of comprehensive competitiveness and cultural influence. 2