For Andreas Larsen Tverå, three trips to Hainan in less than a year were more than routine business visits. They were a sign of growing confidence in the Hainan Free Trade Port.

Tverå, CEO of Norway’s Wolf Group, has been exploring business opportunities on the island as the company looks to expand its presence in China and the wider Asian market. At the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo, held in Haikou this April, the company’s products were featured at the Haikou National High-tech Zone pavilion, providing direct access to potential partners and customers.

“The CICPE is a great platform to show our brand and meet potential customers,” Tverå explained. “There are a lot of people here looking for business opportunities, which is perfect for what we do.”

Wolf Group is a trading company specializing in premium products, particularly seafood and other high-quality goods sourced from select regions in Norway. For Tverå, Hainan’s appeal is not limited to the Chinese market. He sees the island as a strategic link between the Chinese mainland and other Asian economies, while the steady development of China-Norway relations is also creating fresh room for cooperation.

During his visits, Tverå said he also found a strong pool of potential partners in Hainan, something he considers essential to the company’s long-term plans.

For a company dealing in fresh seafood, logistics is one of the first questions to solve.

“When you export fresh fish, cold chain logistics are crucial, so finding transport routes into Haikou is key,” he said. “At the same time, setting up a factory here is also important if we want to reach other Asian markets.”

Tverå said Hainan’s transport links, together with the Free Trade Port’s preferential policies, could give the company a clear business advantage. He pointed in particular to the policy allowing eligible processed goods with at least 30 percent value added in Hainan to enter the Chinese mainland tariff-free.

For Wolf Group, that could mean faster access to the Chinese market, lower costs and more competitive prices for customers.

“We hope prices can come down by 10 to 30 percent,” Tverå said. “In this industry, that is a very big reduction. These are rough figures, but that is how we are calculating it now.”

The company is already looking beyond trading. Tverå said Wolf Group hopes to find local partners and establish a factory in Hainan to process seafood and other products, using the island as a base to serve both China and other Asian markets.

He was also impressed by how local officials helped the company navigate procedures and connect with potential partners. Tverå said that kind of facilitation is vital for companies looking to invest in Hainan.

Having seen the opportunities taking shape in the Hainan Free Trade Port, Tverå has a clear message for other Norwegian companies considering the Chinese market.

“Come early,” he advised. “Come and visit, meet the good people here, and build connections with the right partners. That is very important.”

As the Hainan Free Trade Port continues to advance, with island-wide special customs operations now in place, more Nordic companies are looking to the island for new growth.

Tverå believes Hainan’s role will only become more prominent.

“I believe Hainan will become a hub not only for the Chinese mainland, but for the whole of Asia,” he concluded.

This series is funded by the China Internet Development Foundation (CIDF) and co-producted by Hinews and Hainan International Media Center.