On the morning of January 16, the first session of the 8th Hainan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) came to a close. 2023 is a key year in the lead-up to island-wide independent customs operations. We look forward to seeing how the provincial CPPCC members will continue to participate in the debate and work towards improving people’s livelihoods to help Hainan become a model of opening up in the new era.