The Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) held the first of its newly launched policy introduction & enquiry seminars on October 28. The inaugural session laid out the aims of the seminar series, introduced the current progress of preparations for island-wide special customs operations, and provided detailed breakdowns of key policies that matter to enterprises in Hainan.

The first session of the Hainan Free Trade Port "Policy Intro & Enquiry Seminar for Enterprises."

As a policy information service for Hainan-based enterprises, the Hainan Free Trade Port Policy Introduction & Enquiry Seminar for Enterprises series will engage in targeted circulation, interpretation, promotion, outreach, and interaction centered on core FTP policies on the eve of the island’s transition to special customs operations.

>Targeted circulation: clarifying "who policies are aimed at" by creating a database of contacts for central, private, and foreign-owned enterprises so that companies become aware of policies that concern them.

>Targeted interpretation: clarifying "what policies mean" through circulation and case analyses that make them easily understood.

>Targeted promotion: clarifying "when policies are promoted" by providing high-frequency bulletins, medium-frequency briefs, and occasional in-depth reports and organizing in-person events in the community and at key industrial parks and enterprises.

>Targeted outreach: clarifying "who to reach out to" by setting up a government-enterprise outreach network and encouraging firms to establish policy outreach officer roles.

>Targeted interaction: clarifying "how the voices of enterprises are heard" by establishing a "sounding board" for enterprises and collecting and following up on issues they raise.

An aerial view of the Global Trade Window standing along Guoxing Avenue in Haikou, Hainan.

The Hainan FTP serves as a springboard for domestic enterprises seeking global expansion and overseas enterprises looking to break into the Chinese market. As the seminar series progresses, it will expand to cover a broader range of enterprises, including foreign-invested firms, providing up-to-date, accurate policy information and support to help companies make the most of the FTP's development opportunities. So far this year (as of September 30), 1,297 foreign-invested firms have opened up for business in Hainan, a year-on-year increase of 7.2%, while paid-up foreign capital has reached 17.063 billion yuan (approximately USD 2.39 billion), representing year-on-year growth of 50.4%.