Hainan FTP: One Year On - Pakistani Entrepreneur Zeeshan
By / Wang Dingbin / Updated: 22:06,30-May-2021

When Zeeshan Qasim Khan first visited Hainan 10 years ago from Pakistan, he loved the all-year sunny weather and the scenic beauty. “Hainan is a beautiful island, one of the most beautiful in the world. I came here because of the beauty of Hainan,” he said.

Attracted by the enjoyable life on the island, he first decided to study medicine at Hainan Medical University in provincial capital Haikou but later, decided to switch to a different career. His plan was to export Pakistani rice, carpets and handcrafts to China and selling Chinese mobile phone accessories, lamps, clothes and shoes to the United States, Canada and other countries. But at that time, he was eyeing the city of Guangzhou in southern China, already a hub of international import and export traders as his base.

Then his plan changed again. Sitting in his office on the second floor of Building E in Fullsing Town Internet Innovation Park in Haikou, where he was giving his feedback to Hainan officials on the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP)’s preferential policies, he spoke to the media about what made him choose Hainan instead.

On April 13, 2018, at a special gathering for the anniversary of the founding of Hainan, President Xi Jinping announced the plan to develop the entire province into free trade pilot zone. That announcement made Zeeshan decide to stay on in Hainan and start his business from there.

As he sees it today, “duty-free” and “free movement of people” will be the main advantages of the Hainan FTP. In the past, Hainan couldn’t cash in on its geographical advantages due to its weak infrastructure. However, the tax exemption policy now enjoys as an FTP will greatly benefit the enterprises  and enhance their economic vitality.

For example, Zeeshan’s company greatly benefits from the tariff exemptions, which reduce costs and make its products more competitive in the market. Importing rice is its main business and the duty-free policy has brought Pakistan’s famous basmati rice to tables in China and elsewhere at an affordable price. In addition, the preferential policy of free movement of people has also made it easy for many foreigners, including Zeeshan, to start their business in Hainan.

Zeeshan recommends that the Hainan authorities set up a number of one-stop window services to facilitate the people living and working in Hainan, especially for the foreigners who can’t speak or read Chinese but are keen on working or doing business in Hainan.

He has told many of his friends in Pakistan and other countries about the preferential policies offered by the Hainan FTP and many of them, he said, are considering coming to Hainan to work and invest there.

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