During the 2026 sessions of the Hainan Provincial People’s Congress and the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held on January 28, a press conference discussing the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) and the region's economic and social progress was held. Zhang Yueqiang, Deputy Director General and Spokesperson of the Hainan Provincial Department of Commerce, briefed the media on the province’s commercial performance in 2025 and outlined the province’s work priorities for 2026. He noted that Hainan’s commercial sector experienced steady growth over the past year, with various indicators performing admirably and further reinforcing the foundations for FTP development.

In 2025, all implementation tasks for island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan FTP were completed. Key institutional frameworks, including the Regulations of the Hainan Free Trade Port on Port Administration and Services (Trial), were enacted.

The construction of 10 “second-line” customs ports was finalized and subsequently passed the national inspection and acceptance procedures. Furthermore, comprehensive stress tests, including full-factor, full-coverage, large-sample, and scenario-based tests, were conducted. These initiatives were further supported by enhanced policy outreach and coordination, facilitating the accelerated and effective implementation of policies related to special customs operations.

Market vitality in consumption continued to grow. The trade-in program for consumer goods was implemented extensively, with over 3 million participants throughout the year, directly generating more than CNY 44 billion in spending and contributing approximately 11 percentage points to the growth of total retail sales.

The offshore duty-free policy was further expanded and improved, with more than CNY 300 million in consumption vouchers issued, and annual sales reaching CNY 47.52 billion. Total retail sales of consumer goods reached CNY 267.34 billion, up 5.0% year on year.

Foreign trade demonstrated strong resilience. Through a series of measures aimed at stabilizing trade and supporting enterprises, and by leveraging FTP policy advantages, the province witnessed rapid growth in imports and exports from September onward. By December, the monthly total exceeded CNY 30 billion, setting a record high. A pilot program for bonded maintenance was initiated, ranking second nationwide in business value.

Additionally, the “two ends abroad” bonded oil storage model was implemented, and the entire island was designated as a comprehensive pilot zone for cross-border e-commerce.

Trade in services also performed strongly, with exports reaching CNY 48.13 billion for the year, up 81%.

Two-way investment achieved both quantitative growth and qualitative enhancement. Despite a challenging external environment, Hainan’s foreign investment defied the trend, with landmark projects undertaken by corporations such as Siemens Energy and Swire Coca-Cola expediting their deployment on the island. Paid-up foreign capital reached CNY 25.1 billion in 2025, up 19.9% year on year.

Outbound investment also grew substantially, with non-financial outward direct investment totaling USD 3.62 billion, up 20.7%.

Innovative measures were introduced to recognize regional headquarters of multinational corporations established by domestic companies, enabling them to gain greater benefits from FTP regulations.

The services sector continued to advance. A total of 155 measures to expand openness in services were enacted, resulting in 24 exemplary cases. 24 enterprises received recognition for innovative supply chain applications, helping businesses save over CNY 360 million in tax costs.

The fifth China International Consumer Products Expo achieved a record scale, attracting 4,209 brands from 71 countries and regions. Additionally, 20 major exhibitions and events, including the World FZO World Congress, were held in Hainan for the first time.

Zhang noted that 2026 marks the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan and the inaugural year of the comprehensive implementation of special customs operations. Therefore, the Provincial Department of Commerce will focus on the following six priorities:

1. Advancing integrated institutional innovation to better harness the policy dividends of special customs operations;

2. Stimulating domestic demand by promoting consumption upgrading;

3. Promoting stable growth and structural optimization in foreign trade;

4. Strengthening targeted investment promotion and the implementation of key projects;

5. Expanding opening-up in two-way investment;

6. Advancing the high-quality and intelligent development of ports.