CCTV news: On December 18 this year, the island-wide customs closure operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port will be officially launched. What new opportunities will it bring after the closure of borders? Let’s look at the report from the reporter from Haikou.

CCTV reporter Wang Chen: I am now at the centralized freight inspection site of Haikou New Sea Port and Nangang "Second-tier Port". After the customs is closed in the future, this will be the main channel for trucks in Hainan Province to leave the island and enter the mainland. Just on the morning of the 6th, a simulation exercise of centralized customs closure operations was held here. Now, the construction of 10 "second-tier ports" in Hainan Province has been completed and passed the national acceptance.

Release the front line, control the second line, and free the island

The customs closure operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port is actually three sentences: "Release the front line, control the second line, and free the island." "First-line ports" refer to ports entering Hainan Province from abroad, and "second-tier ports" refer to ports entering other mainland provinces from Hainan Province. After the customs closure, the entire Hainan Island will be built into a special area for customs supervision. In this area, business entities that enjoy the special preferential policies of the free trade port will achieve "zero tariffs" on some goods imported into Hainan from abroad. If these goods want to enter other provinces in China from Hainan, they must go through "second-tier ports" for supervision and inspection. The goods mainly inspected are divided into three categories: the first category is "zero-tariff" goods entering Hainan Province from abroad. The number of such goods will expand from 1,900 items before the customs closure to 6,600 items, accounting for 74% of all imported goods; the second category is goods that enjoy a 30% tariff-free policy for processing value-added. The third category refers to goods whose trade controls have been relaxed on the "front line".

Open up new highlands and empower the development of industries and people’s livelihood in multiple fields

For manufacturing companies that need to import a large amount of equipment and raw materials, the customs closure operation of Hainan Free Trade Port will bring them more obvious cost advantages. According to the latest statistics, the total value of Hainan’s domestically sold goods through value-added processing and tariff-free policy exceeds 10 billion yuan, and the tariff exemption exceeds 800 million yuan, which has greatly reduced the cost of Hainan’s manufacturing industry and improved its competitiveness.

Have a duty-free shopping experience without going abroad

Wang Chen: What is even more attractive is that more high-end service industries that are in line with international standards will be within reach. It may be cheaper and more affordable to buy some imported goods and have a tax-free shopping experience without going abroad. Hainan's customs closure has opened a wider "door to opening up", which will not only allow Chinese people to enjoy more benefits, but will also find new opportunities for Chinese industries and become a "big window for international exchanges" connecting the world!