Chinese Agencies Issue Circular to Advance Hainan Free Trade Port

People's Daily reported that four central government bodies, including the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the General Administration of Customs, recently jointly issued a circular on further improving trade liberalization and facilitation levels in the Hainan Free Trade Port. This circular aims to advance the high-standard construction of the port into an opening gateway for the nation. The circular puts forward 16 specific measures covering three primary dimensions: promoting the optimization and upgrading of goods trade, advancing the freedom and facilitation of service trade, and innovating new trade formats and modes. For goods trade, measures target key industries like automobiles and new petrochemical materials by enhancing bonded supervision, bonded delivery, and research and development testing. Regarding services, the circular expands autonomous opening in sectors such as healthcare, insurance, and professional qualification recognition, while facilitating entry and practice for foreign personnel to benefit modern services and tourism. In trade formats, it explores bonded maintenance and remanufacturing, while bolstering comprehensive cooperation with Hong Kong and synergy with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The document requires relevant departments to support Hainan Province in implementing policies to improve foreign trade quality and efficiency. Hainan provincial entities are instructed to fulfill principal responsibilities by refining mechanisms, breaking down tasks, building risk prevention and control systems, and strengthening whole-process supervision to maintain safety baselines.