CBC Congratulates its Partners in Hainan on the Historic Launch of Island-Wide Customs Operations at the Hainan Free Trade Port and Looks Forward to Deeper Collaboration in 2026

18 December 2025 marks a historic day for China, for Hainan Island, and for global trade and innovation.

On this date, the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) officially commenced island-wide special customs operations, opening a new chapter in China’s high-level opening-up to the world.

The CleanTech Business Club (CBC) warmly congratulates Hainan Province, Haikou City, and Longhua District on this landmark achievement and expresses its strong commitment to deepening collaboration in the years ahead.

A Global Gateway Enters a New Era

With the launch of island-wide customs closure operations, Hainan has moved from policy vision to full institutional execution. As highlighted by China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng, Hainan is now positioned to become “a vital gateway leading China’s new era of opening up to the world.”

This milestone establishes Hainan as a Free Trade Port operating under a unique and highly advanced framework:

Eased access at the first line between Hainan and international markets
Controlled access at the second line between Hainan and mainland China
Free flow of goods, capital, talent, and data within the island

Far from isolation, this system represents a higher level of openness, designed to connect China more efficiently with global markets, particularly ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region.

Watch Video Presenting Hainan and its Free Trade Port (FTP)

Why This Matters for Global Industry and Supply Chains

The Hainan Free Trade Port introduces structural advantages with global relevance:

Expansion of zero-tariff coverage to approximately 74% of goods, including most production equipment and raw materials
A strengthened value-added processing regime, enabling tariff-free access to the Chinese mainland when transformation thresholds are met
Long-term fiscal incentives, including the “dual 15%” corporate and personal income tax framework
Streamlined trade, investment, and mobility regimes aligned with high-standard international trade rules

Together, these measures position Hainan not as a simple transshipment zone, but as a value-creating hub for advanced manufacturing, CleanTech, agriculture & food processing, life sciences, and modern services.

CBC, Hainan, Haikou’s Longhua District and a Shared Vision

The significance of this day is also deeply personal and strategic for CBC.

Earlier this year, Tomasz Slusarz, Founder of the CleanTech Business Club, was honoured to become the Investment Promotion Ambassador of Longhua District, the business, financial, and cultural heart of Haikou, the capital of Haikou.

Reflecting on this historic milestone, Tomasz Slusarz commented:

“Hainan’s island-wide customs closure is not just a policy milestone; it is a signal to the world that China is creating a new, rules-based gateway for global collaboration. As Longhua District Ambassador, I see Hainan not as a future promise, but as a platform ready for real projects, real investment, and long-term partnerships.”

“The ceremony made headlines, with extensive coverage led by Haikou TV News — the most influential broadcaster in Haikou and across Hainan — as featured below.”

In this context, CBC has already explored initial collaboration pathways with Sinomach Hainan, particularly in relation to industrial cooperation in food & agriculture sectors, CleanTech solutions, and Free Trade Port–enabled project development. These discussions form part of CBC’s broader China strategy and will be actively followed up in 2026.

CBC views Hainan’s Free Trade Port not only as a policy success, but as a platform for execution, fully aligned with CBC’s philosophy of delivering on promises and building future-proof ecosystems.

Looking ahead, CBC is exploring an opportunity having its Global Headquarters of the CBC CleanTech Agriculture & Food Industries Hub in Haikou, thus Hainan will play a central role in CBC’s:

CleanTech agriculture and food processing initiatives
island-to-island cooperation models
global clean supply-chain strategies

This positioning reflects Hainan’s growing role as a bridge between China, ASEAN, and global markets, particularly for agriculture, food security, and sustainable industry.

CBC China Impact Business Mission to Hainan – April 2026

Building on this historic milestone, CBC is currently preparing a CBC China Impact Business Mission in April 2026, with a strong strategic focus on Hainan.

The mission will include:

Participation in the China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) 2026, positioning CBC members at the heart of China’s premium consumption, food, agriculture, and lifestyle markets
Opening of the CBC Food & Agriculture Industries Hub – Global Office in Haikou, anchoring CBC’s long-term presence in Hainan
CBC CleanTech SEZ & FTZ Hub Working Group Meeting, dedicated to:
- Special Economic Zone and Free Trade Zone models,
- clean supply chains
- value-added processing
- market-access strategies linking China, ASEAN, and global markets
The 1st CBC CleanTech Leaders Golf Cup – Kick-Off Asia Edition, designed as a high-level, human-to-human networking platform bringing together business leaders, investors, institutions, and partners in an informal, trust-based setting

Kick-Off Meeting of the CBC CleanTech SEZ & FTP Hub, October 19, 2025

Looking Forward: From Openness to Execution

At a time when global supply chains face fragmentation and uncertainty, Hainan’s Free Trade Port sends a powerful signal: openness, predictability, and long-term vision still matter.

CBC firmly believes that Hainan will emerge as:

a key China–ASEAN interface
a global testbed for next-generation trade and industrial policies
a strategic node for CleanTech, Clean Agriculture, Food Security, and Sustainable Industry

CBC looks forward to working closely with Hainan Province, Haikou City, Longhua District, and its partners to transform this historic milestone into real projects, real investment, and real impact.

Because, as always, #TogetherWeAreStronger

Photo impressions from CBC Business Missions to Hainan 2025