On the occasion of the 100-day countdown to the island-wide independent customs operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port (Hainan FTZ), the Hainan FTZ Promotion Conference and Policy Interpretation Conference themed ‘Hainan-Hong Kong Cooperation for a Win-win Future’ was organised at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on September 9.
The event was hosted by the People’s Government of Hainan Province, aiming to enhance Hong Kong people’s understanding of the policies and achievements of the Hainan FTZ, as well as opportunities after the island-wide independent customs operation starts, thus building deeper ties between the two places.
Feng Fei, Secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee, stated at the conference that the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Hainan FTZ are both major national strategies, and the interaction of the two is a driving force for building a new development pattern and facilitating domestic and international circulation.
Hainan FTZ plans to initiate island-wide independent customs operation on December 18, 2025, opening a new stage of development. It would be great if Hainan and Hong Kong would strengthen all-round cooperation.
Combining the former’s strengths in location, space, and resources and the latter’s competitiveness in development, openness, and globalisation, the whole region could reap fruitful benefits.
Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, expressed that Hong Kong attaches great importance to the exchanges with Hainan.
It will strive to foster synergy between the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Hainan FTZ, attracting international projects to Hainan, facilitating overseas expansion for Hainan investors, and creating mutually beneficial opportunities that enable both sides to contribute to the country’s high-quality development and boost economic momentum.
Tang Hua, Director of the Hainan International Business Council, pointed out that Hainan has advantages such as beautiful ecological environment, wide market influence, high economic openness, and strong talent attraction, while Hong Kong has world-class scientific research capabilities, robust financial services, and international human resources, which can provide technical, financial, and talent support for Hainan enterprises and work together to foster new quality productivity.
Stakeholders from Hainan and Hong Kong signed 12 projects, covering multiple fields such as tourism, technology, and food processing. More than 400 participants, including officials from central government agencies in Hong Kong, Hong Kong government officials, and individuals from diverse backgrounds, attended the event.
According to the Department of Finance of Hainan Province, Hainan will issue offshore RMB local government bonds in Hong Kong on September 11th, with a total amount of up to 5 billion yuan.
The maturity can be 3 years (sustainable development bonds), 5 years (blue bonds), and 10 years (aerospace-themed bonds).
The funds will primarily be used in key scientific research and infrastructure projects related to marine conservation, people’s well-being, and aerospace.
