Tomorrow, December 18, the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) will roll out island-wide special customs operations in Hainan Province on the Chinese mainland, marking a major milestone for economic globalization amid mounting deglobalization headwinds.
In November 2025, during a work report in Sanya, President Xi Jinping called the FTP a 'key gateway driving the country's opening-up in the new era.' His directive ties Hainan's high-quality development to a broader national push for a new development paradigm.
Global trade has faced profound shifts since 2017, with events like the Russia-Ukraine conflict and renewed 'America First' policies fueling tariff barriers and sanction regimes. As fragmentation threatens post-WWII economic frameworks, a new trend of non-alignment and Global South assertion is reshaping international ties.
Building Bridges, Not Walls
Against this backdrop, Hainan's island-wide customs operations go beyond regional reform. They signal the Chinese mainland's choice to deepen engagement rather than retreat, setting a precedent for openness when free trade principles are under strain.
From Factor Mobility to Rule Alignment
Earlier special economic zones on the Chinese mainland, like Shenzhen, supercharged the Chinese mainland's industrial rise by attracting capital, technology and talent. Now, with industrialization entering its mid-to-late stage, service-sector liberalization stands at the forefront of high-quality growth.
Service opening demands more than factor mobility—it requires unified standards, strong regulation and an institutional framework aligned with global norms. Hainan's FTP aims to set a new benchmark, using integrated institutional innovation to advance the service economy and support modernization on the Chinese mainland.
As island-wide customs operations launch tomorrow, all eyes will be on Hainan's ability to translate this institutional vision into real-world impact, offering a fresh template for globalization's next chapter.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
