China News Service, Haikou, October 18 (Reporter Wang Xiaobin) Since the island-wide customs closure was launched on December 18 last year, how can the Hainan Free Trade Port ensure that it is "open" and "controlled"? The answer given by Haikou Customs is three words - new, effective and safe.
Since the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port started, Haikou Customs has made every effort to ensure that the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port has a smooth start, vigorous development, and momentum, and the island-wide customs closure operation has been completed as scheduled. Since the closure of the customs, relevant policy dividends have continued to be released, various cross-border factors have accelerated the convergence, market vitality has been effectively stimulated, and the high-level opening up of the Hainan Free Trade Port has continued to advance.
"We insist on moving towards 'new' and expand development space with system integration and innovation; we work towards 'efficiency' to improve the level of trade facilitation; we build the foundation for 'security' and work together to secure national security." Chen Yunwu, Deputy Commissioner of Haikou Customs, said at the briefing of the 2026 "Dynamic China Research Trip" Hainan themed interview event held in Haikou on the 18th.
The picture shows a number of passenger ro-ro transport ships entering Haikou New Seaport in an orderly manner. Photo by Chen Yingqing
Heading towards the “new”
Haikou Customs actively explores and innovates to transform institutional dividends into driving forces for industrial development.
In terms of promoting the development of the aviation maintenance industry, the Customs has innovatively implemented "direct entry into the zone" and "one-stop" maintenance supervision services for aircraft and engines, helping the scale of bonded maintenance in the Haikou Airport Comprehensive Bonded Zone to rank among the top two in the country. According to statistics, in the first nine months of this year, customs supervised 101 aircraft, 19 engines, and 58 batches of aviation materials for bonded maintenance in the airport comprehensive bonded area, with a total value of 67.34 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 51.2%.
In terms of supporting the development of the seed industry, the customs has integrated and implemented five innovative regulatory measures, including "conditional removal of seedlings across customs areas", which has significantly shortened the customs clearance time of seedlings by 10 to 15 days, and increased the survival rate to more than 95%. Since the construction of the transit base, customs facilitation measures have supported the introduction of 1,125 batches of various types of excellent animal and plant germplasm resources such as soybeans, date palm seedlings, and crab-eating monkeys, with a value of 2.03 billion yuan. They have assisted the export of 230 million yuan of seeds such as rice and melon seeds, and helped create a "two-way channel" for the seed industry to go overseas and introduce overseas resources.
In terms of promoting the remanufactured import industry, since the pilot policy was implemented in November 2024, the customs has supervised the import of 1,503 remanufactured automobile gearboxes, ranking among the top in the country in terms of import volume. Chen Yunwu said that the domestic sales business model of remanufactured products in Haikou Comprehensive Free Trade Zone is operating efficiently and smoothly, and the industrial agglomeration effect is emerging.
Strive for "efficiency"
Focusing on supporting the four leading industries in Hainan, the customs has carefully polished the service brand of "Qiongguan Assistance to Enterprises" and formulated 20 special measures to optimize the port business environment; carefully customized 21 special courses on customs closure policies, and held "order-based" personalized policy presentations in more than 10 cities and counties; and launched a one-stop appointment customs clearance module of "document review, verification and assessment, inspection" to achieve "one appointment, full processing".
"Strive for 'efficiency' to make the 'front-line' streamlined entry and 'second-line' convenience more visible." The customs made every effort to ensure efficient and smooth port customs clearance, supervising 16,000 inbound and outbound aircraft and more than 3,900 ships at the "first-line port", a year-on-year increase of 23.2% and 8.9% respectively; it implemented direct release and facilitation measures for eligible "zero-tariff" and bonded goods to improve the level of cross-border trade facilitation. At the "second-tier port" customs supervision channel, more than 70% of the customs supervision goods that can conveniently leave the island using the "batch departure and centralized declaration" model are adopted.
The picture shows customs staff conducting customs clearance inspection on a batch of "zero-tariff" imported goods at the Sanya Phoenix International Airport port. Photo by Zhang Yuehe
Chen Yunwu said that the customs assists the coordinated development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, the New Western Land-Sea Corridor and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, strengthens the "cross-customs area direct supply" business of bonded oil, and supports the creation of an integrated bonded oil refueling base around the Beibu Gulf; it also improves the Qiong-Guangdong-Guangxi "parallel port + multimodal transport one-box system" model to drive down logistics costs by 25%.
Building the foundation for "An"
In addition, Haikou Customs escorts high-level opening up with high standards of safety, takes the lead in implementing the "one-point trigger, multi-point linkage" inspection and quarantine safety risk joint prevention and control mechanism, and together with nine departments including health and disease control and market supervision, has shared a total of 3,216 pieces of risk information and jointly handled 37 risk incidents.
Haikou Customs will also continue to deepen comprehensive anti-smuggling management with relevant departments, effectively operate the "1+9" anti-smuggling joint prevention and control mechanism in Qiong Yue Guangxi and the Qiongzhou Strait around the Beibu Gulf, and actively participate in anti-smuggling joint prevention and control at non-customs places and other customs supervision channels in "second-tier ports" to build a secure barrier for the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port.
Chen Yunwu said that closely following the new situation, new business formats, and new requirements after the customs closure operation, Haikou Customs will promote a higher level of opening with integrated innovation in the regulatory system, promote better release of policy dividends with efficient and convenient customs clearance services, resolutely maintain national security through collaborative governance, and help build the Hainan Free Trade Port to high standards.
