On December 18, 2025, the Hainan Free Trade Port began a new chapter in China’s opening up in the new era, as it officially commenced island-wide special customs operations, setting sail on a new voyage that brings it closer to the world. China’s second-largest island, which dangles like an emerald of promise from the southernmost tip of the mainland, has now become the latest interface between China and the wider world, serving both as a “proving ground” and “showroom” for the nation’s deeper integration with the global economy.

The Hainan Free Trade Port is an open gateway, offering the most convenient access to China’s vast market and a springboard for Chinese firms to expand globally. People, goods, capital, data—here, global factors are all at play, converging, flowing, growing in value, and moving to new heights.

More efficient, more open, more liberalized—these are the promises of the island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port. The growing convergence of global factors and increasing alignment with international rules are transforming Hainan into a superhub where these promises are fast becoming reality.

In this special feature marking the launch of island-wide special customs operations, Hainan International Media Center unveils the dynamism of this new interface at work as it delves beyond policy to examine the people, products, places, and potential driving this new initiative. It pays homage to the dream-makers and dream-chasers participating in this grand experiment. It invites you to step across the threshold of China’s southern gateway to witness the world of opportunities and future potential that is the new Hainan.