The 2026 Wenchang International Aviation & Aerospace Forum was held in Wenchang, a coastal city in China's southern island province of Hainan, from August 24 to 26, under the title "Rockets Return to the Free Trade Port, Satellites Take Off from the Aerospace City."

The forum highlighted reusable launch vehicles, satellite applications and commercial spaceflight, while also exploring how the emerging aerospace sector could drive growth in tourism, finance, education, digital services and other industries.

2026 Wenchang International Aviation & Aerospace Forum

Two Platforms to Boost Aerospace Data and International Cooperation Unveiled

At the opening ceremony on August 25, two platforms were launched during the forum.

The Hainan Aerospace Data International Service Hub, China's first cross-border data trading platform dedicated to the aerospace sector, was launched to facilitate aerospace data processing and compliant cross-border data flows. Its data products have already reached 29 countries and regions.

Also unveiled was the Joint Laboratory on Intelligent Computing Satellite Constellation, jointly established by the Hainan Satellite Data and Application Research Center and Thailand's Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), focusing on the integration of intelligent computing and remote sensing technologies and applications in the Lancang-Mekong region.

Thailand's Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Danuphom Punnakanta said Thailand strongly supports the launch of the joint laboratory, describing it as an important platform for long-term cooperation between China and Thailand.

Phee Choosri, deputy executive director of GISTDA, delivered a keynote speech titled "Connecting Space and Ground: Aerospace Innovation Drives Economic Growth."

The opening ceremony also saw the Wenchang International Aerospace City Administration sign industrial investment agreements and strategic cooperation framework agreements with 17 companies along the aerospace industry chain,, including Commercial Rocket Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

The agreements cover areas including research and development, launch, recovery, tracking, telemetry and control (TT&C), education, cultural tourism, and finance.

Reusable Rockets at the Center of Commercial Space Push

A key focus of the forum was the industrialization of reusable launch vehicles.

Rong Yi, chief designer of the Long March-10A launch vehicle at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), gave a presentation on the technical challenges and engineering experience involved in developing reusable launch vehicles.

Experts and industry representatives also discussed the development of three core industry chains — rockets, satellites and data — as Wenchang seeks to build a more integrated commercial space ecosystem.

Breakthroughs in reusable launch vehicle technology are helping commercial spaceflight move toward larger-scale and more industrialized operations, industry officials said.

As of August 2026, the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site had completed 21 launches. In particular, the Long March-10B launch vehicle achieved what was described as the world's first offshore net-based recovery of a launch vehicle, marking a new step in the development of reusable rockets.

Building an International Aerospace City

As 2026 marks the first full year of island-wide special customs operations at the Hainan Free Trade Port, Hainan is seeking to leverage policies including zero tariffs on certain aerospace equipment, greater facilitation of cross-border flows of production factors and support for international scientific and technological cooperation.

"The preferential 15 percent corporate and individual income tax rates in Hainan give us greater confidence in attracting high-end talent in remote sensing and AI to the island"，said Li Jiping, chairman and founder of Vastitude Technology, a company specializing in remote sensing and spatiotemporal intelligence in Beijing.

"Spatiotemporal intelligence is a talent-intensive industry, and the tax advantages directly translate into an edge in attracting talent."

"We are interested in establishing a presence in Wenchang and relocating some of our R&D operations there," said the CEO of South African aerospace company PyraLink Aerospace, who attended the forum. He said he looked forward to deepening cooperation between Africa and China in the aerospace sector.

Beyond Aerospace: New Growth Areas

The forum also covered a range of "aerospace+" sectors, including education, finance, exhibitions and tourism.

Wenchang is seeking to turn its aerospace resources into new sources of tourism and consumer spending through activities such as rocket-launch viewing and space-themed educational programs.

The approach is designed to use the launch site to attract businesses and investment while integrating the aerospace industry with the city's wider economic development, potentially creating new opportunities for talent recruitment and international investment.

Participants said the long-term value of commercial aerospace lies not only in launch services, but also in its expansion into the digital economy and modern service industries.