“I’ve been paying closest attention to Yangpu Port in Hainan. Although I don’t yet know a great deal about it, I believe that in three to five years it will certainly become one of China’s most important import and export ports,” said Kim, a reporter from South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, on February 27, as she stood at the Yangpu International Container Terminal. “The development momentum here is truly impressive!” she added.

On February 27, a media delegation of domestic and foreign journalists taking part in the China Travelogue: Hainan FTP Experience for Global Journalists event visited the Yangpu International Container Terminal and Hainan Ausca International Oils and Grains Co., Ltd., witnessing on the ground how the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port is accelerating.

At the container terminal, the journalists learned in detail how Yangpu has been continuously expanding its shipping route network, enlarging its “circle of friends” among ports, and making full use of a series of opening-up policies—such as the “Port of Yangpu (CN YGP)” ship registry—to build a policy highland and a benchmark for port and shipping logistics development.

“I came to Sanya for a holiday with my family in 2023,” Kim recalled. She admitted that she had previously seen Hainan as a simple vacation destination. Her visit as part of the media tour this time has radically altered her views: “The changes in Hainan’s development are truly remarkable!”

“Hainan is not just a ‘pretty face’.” Since the island entered special customs operations, its industrial development potential and market potential have exploded,” Kim remarked, believing that Hainan is well positioned to become an important trade and economic center in China.

“How much have FTP policies actually saved for Ausca?” When the delegation arrived at Ausca, this was one of the first questions put to company executives. Cao Youhua, deputy general manager of Ausca, gave a clear answer: 300 million yuan (USD 43.74 million).

“What impacts will the island-wide special customs operations have on enterprises?”

“Ausca is not only a key investment project in the Yangpu Economic Development Zone, but also the first pilot enterprise in China to benefit from the duty-free policy on value-added processing,” Cao explained. He noted that the special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port represent a major opportunity for the province’s industrial development and an excellent chance for it to transform into a world-class exemplar of openness.

“Grounded in the Hainan Free Trade Port, we will further strengthen our internal management, enrich our product portfolio, and increase product added value. When the time is right, we will ride the tailwind of the FTP’s development to further expand our scale,” Cao continued.

That same day, the media delegation also visited the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, embarking on a special journey of “medical tourism.”

“Wow, that’s so cool!” Technologies such as the world’s smallest pacemaker and the world’s most advanced 7.0T MRI machine wowed journalists at the Permanent Exhibition of Innovative Medicines and Medical Devices, where they experienced cutting-edge international achievements in medical science and technology up close.As China’s only “medical special zone,” Lecheng has, by virtue of its policies on “special medical treatment, special research, special operations and special international exchanges,” become a major gateway for advanced global medical resources to enter China.

“Are there many international medical tourists coming here?” “What has FTP island-wide special customs operations brought to Lecheng?”were among the questions raised by the journalists.

Since December 18, 2025, when island-wide special customs operations were officially launched, the popularity of international medical tourism in Lecheng has continued to climb, with a total of 5,000 visits by international medical tourists received so far.

Lecheng has developed more than 20 distinctive medical tourism itineraries covering oncology, ophthalmology, medical aesthetics, and anti-aging, while its service system has been upgraded in tandem.

“This visit has allowed me to truly appreciate the new changes that have taken place since the Hainan FTP began island-wide special customs operations. Very nice!” said William Langley, a reporter from the UK’s Financial Times visiting Hainan for the second time.