Three Scenarios to See the New Changes of Hainan Free Trade Port (Exploration)
2026-06-17
A bonded maintenance project evaluation meeting is being held in the conference room of the Haikou High tech Zone Medical Equipment Park in Haikou, Hainan. Staff from the Hainan Provincial Department of Commerce, Haikou Customs and other departments were present, and Yang Yuxiang, the general manager of Haikou Huluo Technology Co., Ltd., was both excited and nervous. In his eyes, this meeting was like an exam.
Haikou Huluo Technology Co., Ltd. was established at the end of last year, with Anhui Tuofan Endoscope Service Co., Ltd. as its parent company. Its main business is the maintenance and production of medical devices such as endoscopes. In July last year, the "List of Prohibited and Restricted Import and Export Goods and Articles in Hainan Free Trade Port" (hereinafter referred to as the "Prohibited and Restricted List") was announced, which implemented exceptional measures for some goods in the "front line" of Hainan Free Trade Port, allowing products with 38 commodity codes to carry out "two ends outside" bonded maintenance business after the closure of Hainan Free Trade Port. 'Both ends are outside' refers to 'raw materials are imported from outside, while products are exported'. The inclusion of endoscopes has shown us a new industry track, "said Yang Yuxiang.
On December 18, 2025, Hainan Free Trade Port officially launched the island wide lockdown. After the closure, many business entities, like Anhui Tuofan, shifted from observation to layout and from testing the waters to deep cultivation. According to statistics, since the lockdown until May 31st this year, Hainan has added 172100 new business entities, a year-on-year increase of 61.07%. Among them, 139500 new enterprises were added, a year-on-year increase of 123.04%. What do enterprises value about Hainan Free Trade Port? How can policy dividends be transformed into development momentum? The reporter conducted follow-up interviews.
A new track
An important link in the long-term external industrial chain is expected to return to China
Anhui Tuofan started as an endoscope maintenance business, initially focusing on the domestic market. Later, the company expanded its endoscope production and export business, and now its products have been sold to more than 20 countries and regions.
The product has been sold, but the maintenance cannot keep up. "Foreign distributors often ask if we can undertake the maintenance business," Yang Yuxiang said. At that time, the bonded maintenance business of endoscopes with "both ends outside" was restricted in China, and it was not until the list of restrictions was announced that this business finally became feasible in terms of system.
Since October last year, the company has visited Hainan multiple times for inspection. When they learned that some companies had implemented this policy after the lockdown, they immediately decided to establish a subsidiary in Haikou. After the evaluation meeting of the bonded maintenance project, the local relevant departments accurately assessed the current situation of the enterprise and provided practical suggestions and assistance.
In addition to finding new business growth points, enterprises have also solved long-term pain points.
On the first day of customs clearance, Kaikai Biomedical Technology (Haikou) Co., Ltd. completed the "first order" of bonded maintenance for endoscopes with "both ends outside". The company's Shenzhen headquarters independently developed products that were sold to more than 170 countries and regions.
Li Xiaoxi, the general manager of the company, introduced that on the one hand, the company's overseas after-sales outlets are difficult to undertake refined maintenance and after-sales services; On the other hand, some high-value medical device components replaced by local repairs were previously prohibited from being imported. Nowadays, utilizing the advantages of free trade port policies can achieve maintenance reuse and value extension. An important link in the long-term external industrial chain is expected to return to China, "said Li Xiaoxi.
Li Xiaoxi admitted that before the first shipment completed customs clearance and entered the venue, the team's heart was always hanging, worried about the smooth implementation of policies and the unsmooth connection of processes. Thanks to the full assistance of multiple departments, the enterprise successfully completed its first bonded maintenance business.
We believe that the service capability of refined maintenance will support front-end sales in reverse, and in the future, the Hainan branch will serve as a 'fallback node' in the company's global business system, playing a more important role. Li Xiaoxi said that the company's new dust-free workshop and office space located in the Haikou High tech Zone Medical Equipment Park of Hailing International are being renovated intensively and are expected to be put into use in July.
Relaxing trade management and exploring measures to break the ice. Six enterprises in Hainan have been approved for bonded maintenance qualifications, and three enterprises have carried out "two ends outside" bonded maintenance. The enterprises have completed 15 business transactions with a value exceeding 3.5 million yuan in accordance with the prohibition and restriction list policy.
A new base
Continuously increasing investment is not only due to years of friendship, but also due to confidence in the long-term development of the free trade port
In Yangpu Economic Development Zone, Danzhou, a construction site is in full swing. This is the Siemens Energy Hainan Gas Turbine Assembly Base project, scheduled to be completed and put into operation in 2027.
This is a comprehensive base covering manufacturing, final assembly, engineering services, and research and development innovation. It is the first landmark foreign-funded project in the manufacturing industry to land after Hainan's closure, "said Li Rui, Deputy General Manager of the Energy Development Department of Yangpu International Investment Consulting Co., Ltd.
The fate between Yangpu and Siemens Energy can be traced back to more than 30 years ago.
In 1994, Yangpu Economic Development Zone was established for two years, and all industries were waiting for development. We introduced two Siemens gas turbines to solve the power problem, and they immediately became the 'star' equipment in the province. "Hu Cheng, the chief engineer of Yangpu Power Plant, recalled that these two internationally advanced gas turbines at that time became the key to ensuring the launch of the development zone. Afterwards, Siemens Energy regularly sent dedicated personnel to Yangpu Power Plant for maintenance, and engineers from both countries formed a deep friendship as a result.
From the intention of inspection in 2023, to the establishment of the Hainan Innovation Center in 2024, and now to the landing of new projects, we have continued to increase our efforts not only due to years of friendship, but also because of our confidence in the long-term development of the free trade port. "The person in charge of Siemens Energy Greater China introduced that while the base will focus on serving Hainan in the future, it will also build a high-end equipment manufacturing and service center for clean energy that radiates Southeast Asia. Hainan has obvious geographical advantages and is accelerating the construction of a clean energy island. Yangpu has a deep-water port close to international main shipping routes, coupled with zero tariffs and open visa free policies for free trade ports, making its development conditions superior, "said the person in charge.
The factory is under construction and the order has arrived. Not long ago, Siemens Energy Group and National Energy Group reached a cooperation agreement to supply 2 F-class gas turbines for the Sanya East Natural Gas Power Generation Project.
Jan Smuck, Senior Vice President of Siemens Energy Global, stated that Siemens Energy's construction of a gas turbine assembly base and service center in Hainan is highly compatible with the goal of building a high-level open economic new highland in Hainan Free Trade Port. We will work together with partners to promote collaborative innovation in the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, help build a high-end industrial ecosystem, and contribute to the energy transformation of China and the world.
Old friends are deepening their efforts, while new friends are coming in droves: the first foreign-owned hospital, Boao Fulong Cardiovascular Hospital, has unveiled its plaque for practice, and the construction of the "Korea National Pavilion" project has begun... Since the closure of the country until May 31 this year, Hainan has added 1240 foreign-funded enterprises, a year-on-year increase of 37.62%.
A new exploration
Enhancing the happiness of local residents' lives and bringing greater development opportunities to enterprises
Before the lockdown, the formulation of free trade port policies characterized by "zero tariffs, low tax rates, and simple tax systems" mainly focused on industrial development and directly affected enterprises.
How to benefit more ordinary consumers? In February of this year, the "zero tariff" policy for imported goods consumed by residents of Hainan Free Trade Island was released, and the first batch of five duty-free shops for daily consumer goods opened in Haikou, Sanya, and Danzhou officially welcomed customers. The tax-free scope covers 202 items, mainly high-frequency and fast-moving food, daily necessities, home furnishings, and maternal and child products. Hainan registered residence residents, holders of residence permits and qualified overseas permanent residents can purchase 10000 yuan per person every year, and they can buy good things in the world at home without having to leave the island or travel.
The release of the new policy has attracted attention. Shao Yuanyuan, the manager of the daily consumer goods duty-free store of China Duty Free Group, remembers that on the first day of opening, the hundreds of square meters of the store were crowded with people, and many customers came to explore and try new things. The company is also constantly upgrading its services and improving its experience. For example, holding special events, issuing unconditional consumption vouchers, and establishing a fresh food supply chain, "said Shao Yuanyuan.
The tax exemption policy for Hainan's offshore islands has undergone 10 iterations and upgrades, continuously expanding and improving over the past 15 years, empowering the consumer market of the free trade port. According to data from Haikou Customs, from the time of customs closure until May 31st this year, the amount of duty-free shopping on Hainan's outlying islands reached 20.34 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 20.5%. I believe that in the future, the tax exemption policy for residents on the island will continue to be optimized, just like the tax exemption policy for outlying islands, to enhance the happiness of local residents and bring greater development opportunities to enterprises, "said Hao Zhiqiang, Deputy General Manager of Haikou International Duty Free City.
Since its closure for half a year, Hainan Free Trade Port has focused on policy opening, supported by industrial agglomeration, and focused on providing universal benefits to people's livelihoods, and has blossomed and accelerated its development in multiple areas. With the continuous optimization and upgrading of policies, Hainan is taking a high spirited attitude, continuously amplifying its advantages in opening up, gathering global factors, and making every effort to build a high-quality free trade port, creating a new highland for the country's opening up to the outside world. (Outlook New Era)
Edit:Luoyu Responsible editor:Wang Erdong
Source:People's Daily
Special statement: if the pictures and texts reproduced or quoted on this site infringe your legitimate rights and interests, please contact this site, and this site will correct and delete them in time. For copyright issues and website cooperation, please contact through outlook new era email：lwxsd@liaowanghn.com
Recommended Reading Change it
