The ripples of Hainan’s island-wide special customs policies are reshaping its economy. Marking one month since implementation on December 18, 2025, the Free Trade Port boasts metrics that signal long-term promise.
A whopping 5,132 foreign trade companies registered in the first month to January 17, 2026, per customs stats. This boom highlights Hainan’s strategic edge in attracting international business.
“Interest is skyrocketing,” shares Chu He of Haikou Customs, with the unified service line handling over 100 queries each day. Enhanced procedures have trimmed approvals by 60%, supported by expert departmental input.
Frontline customs managed 750 million yuan in duty-free flows, aiding factories, healthcare providers, and research outfits. Mobility providers thrived via exemptions on ships, planes, and vehicles.
Second-line activities supervised 85.867 million yuan of refined duty-free exports to the mainland, fostering industrial expansion and higher margins for local players.
Revamped duty-free shopping policies drove 4.86 billion yuan in revenue—46.8% above last year—with 745,000 buyers (30.2% up) and 3.494 million units sold (14.6% rise).
Airports saw 311,000 passengers, up 48.8%. Hainan’s formula is proving that targeted customs reforms can galvanize trade while supercharging visitor numbers, setting a high bar for regional development.