According to experts, the project opens up new horizons for business. The first line of regulation concerns the external border of the island: goods from abroad will be able to flow here without hindrance. Zero duties, simplified customs procedures and preferential conditions are established for most product categories. The ports of Haikou, Sanya, Yangpu and five other major points will become key logistics hubs.
The second line is the internal border between the island and the rest of China. Selective control is in effect here: goods processed in Hainan with added value of 30% or more will be able to be shipped to the mainland without paying duties.
A free trade zone is being established on the territory of the island itself. All flows, tangible and intangible, will be able to move without restrictions. An innovative digital customs monitoring platform will be used to manage the processes. It will include GPS navigation, scanning systems, biometrics and ratings of trust in companies.
The business will receive a significant simplification of procedures. The number of items available for duty-free import will increase from 1,900 to 6,600. Companies operating in priority sectors of the economy will be able to export their products duty-free to the rest of China after processing in Hainan.
An additional incentive will be a reduced income tax rate of 15% for companies registered on the island. This measure will be in effect at least until 2027. In addition, the principle of a "single window" for the entire workflow will be implemented, which will significantly speed up calculations and reduce costs.
According to Maxim Saveliev, CEO of SHANGHAI LEO, Hainan is becoming a kind of China's economic laboratory. Models of the most open economy with digital control are being tested here. If successfully implemented, the mechanism can be scaled to other regions.
This approach is already attracting interest from international companies, including Russian ones, especially against the background of growing imports of goods from China. According to Data Insight, shipments from China for e-commerce to Russia in 2024 increased by 87% by 2019 and continue to grow. The Hainan Corridor can become an effective channel for entering the Chinese market and optimizing logistics processes.
