Headquarters Economy Zone of Haikou Jiangdong New Area. (Source: hinews.cn)

To better integrate the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) into the global logistics network, Haikou plans to collaborate with Guangzhou and Shenzhen to develop a major international postal and express hub cluster, as announced by the State Post Bureau.

Under China's 15th Five-Year Plan, the country intends to establish five major global postal and express hub clusters: Beijing–Tianjin–Xiong'an–Langfang, Shanghai–Nanjing–Hangzhou–Jiaxing, Wuhan–Ezhou–Zhengzhou–Changsha, Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Haikou, and Chengdu–Chongqing–Xi'an.

As one of these five key national hub clusters, the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Haikou cluster will link the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area with the Hainan FTP, further enhancing southern China's role as a logistics gateway to global markets, especially Southeast Asia.

Hainan's growing foreign trade has significantly boosted cross-border logistics demand in recent years. Since launching island-wide special customs operations, the province's total imports and exports in goods had reached CNY 173.98 billion by the end of May, reflecting a 54.6% year-on-year increase. During this period, 10,325 enterprises registered as customs declarer units, marking a 57.8% rise and fueling strong market demand for developing an international postal and express hub.

Haikou's express delivery sector continues to deliver robust growth. In the first half of the year, the city processed 93.913 million parcels, marking a 21.04% increase compared to last year. Intercity deliveries amounted to 88.307 million, a 23.23% rise, while international express shipments jumped by 253.28% year on year.

Haikou's status within the national hub network is further strengthened by its consistently developing logistics infrastructure.

To date, China Post, SF Express, YTO Express, ZTO Express, and Cainiao have established regional processing centers and air logistics projects in the city. With the Haikou International Mail Exchange Bureau and Exchange Station now operational, international mail can be directly sent to 127 countries and regions, bypassing cities like Guangzhou or Shanghai, which reduces delivery times by one to two days.

Meanwhile, Haikou continues to expand its international air cargo network. New cargo routes now connect to destinations such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in Southeast Asia, as well as Nairobi and Tel Aviv, enhancing logistics for cross-border e-commerce, fresh produce, and cold-chain shipments. So far, Hainan has established 90 international passenger and cargo routes, with 50 of these starting from Haikou.

For Hainan, transforming into an international postal and express hub goes beyond enhancing logistics efficiency. A faster and more reliable logistics system is likely to attract sectors like cross-border e-commerce, biopharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and cold-chain food transport, while also strengthening the island province's links with global markets and opening new prospects for regional cooperation and international trade.