Xi stresses building Hainan Free Trade Port with high standards

SANYA -- President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed, when hearing a work report on the building of Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), that building the Hainan FTP is a major policy made by the CPC Central Committee to comprehensively deepen reform and opening up in the new era. He stressed the need to study and implement the guiding principles of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. Under the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, all relevant parties at all levels should closely coordinate and take the initiative to fully achieve the goals of building the Hainan FTP through continuous efforts.

On the morning of Nov. 6, Xi listened to the work report on the development of the Hainan FTP in Sanya, Hainan Province. Zheng Shanjie, director of the National Development and Reform Commission, and Feng Fei, secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee, presented the report.

After listening to the report, Xi delivered an important speech. He pointed out that, following the decision of the CPC Central Committee, the Hainan FTP will officially commence its island-wide special customs operations on Dec. 18 this year. He described this as a landmark move of the country to unwaveringly expand high-standard opening up and promote the development of an open world economy. All relevant departments at all levels must make meticulous preparations to ensure a smooth and orderly transition, Xi said.

Xi stressed that the strategic goal of building the Hainan FTP is to develop it into a key gateway driving China's opening up in the new era. It is imperative to steadfastly pursue this strategic goal, fully carry out the master plan for the building of the Hainan FTP, thoroughly enforce the Hainan Free Trade Port Law, emancipate the mind, pursue reform and innovation, and build a framework of policies and institutions that aligns with a high-level FTP in a phased and step-by-step manner. Efforts should be made to steadily expand institutional opening up, and take further steps to facilitate trade and investment liberalization. The province was urged to make further progress in opening up in terms of the flows of goods and production factors, and better facilitate cross-border flows of production factors. Xi called on the province to create a more open talent mechanism to provide solid backing with a high-caliber talent pool for building the FTP. Work should be done to deepen the reform of administrative systems, improve government services, and strive to create a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized.

Xi pointed out that building the Hainan FTP with high standards is meant to promote high-quality development in Hainan and boost national efforts to create a new development paradigm. He called on Hainan to scientifically formulate its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) based on practical conditions, and focus closely on its strategic positioning as a pilot zone for the comprehensive deepening of reform and opening up, a national pilot zone for ecological conservation, an international tourism and consumption destination, and a service zone for major national strategies, thereby comprehensively boosting the province's economic and social development. Efforts should be made to develop a modernized industrial system that leverages Hainan's characteristics and strengths, promote the upgrading of leading industries, and advance the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation to achieve breakthroughs in developing new quality productive forces. It is essential for the island province to strengthen coordinated development with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, deepen cooperation with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and deeply integrate into the Belt and Road cooperation to play a leading role in advancing high-standard opening up. As ecology is a great advantage for Hainan, it is imperative to safeguard such a "family legacy," adhere to coordination between land and sea, make continuous efforts to address prominent environmental issues, and advance the high-quality development of the national pilot zone for ecological conservation. It is essential to provide inclusive services, meet essential needs and provide a cushion for those most in need while improving people's well-being, resolve the pressing difficulties and problems that concern the people the most, and make solid progress toward common prosperity.

Xi stressed that the wider the door is opened, the more imperative it is to pursue development while ensuring security and firmly safeguard the red line for security. It is imperative to proceed the opening up in a sound and orderly manner, identify and prevent risks, and advance with steady and solid steps.

Xi emphasized the imperative to advance full and rigorous Party self-governance with enduring vigilance and determination, consolidate the achievements made during the education campaign on thoroughly implementing the CPC Central Committee's eight-point decision on improving work conduct, and foster a healthy political environment of integrity. He also emphasized that efforts must be made to improve the integrated mechanism to ensure that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, or desire to become corrupt, and eradicate the breeding grounds and conditions for corruption. He urged the province to guide officials at all levels to have a stronger sense of responsibility and perform their duties well while strictly abiding by rules and regulations, and accomplish achievements that stand the test of time.

Xi also urged Hainan to closely monitor Typhoon Kalmaegi and take concrete measures for prevention and emergency response to minimize losses.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting.

He Lifeng and leading officials from relevant central Party and state departments, and the Hainan CPC provincial committee and government also attended the meeting.