From ferry to gateway: how Hainan's customs closure powers ASEAN-China common market?

It has been over a month since the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) initiated its island-wide independent customs operation. With the continuous expansion of preferential tariff policies, South China's Hainan Island is emerging as a core hub for cooperation between China and ASEAN across multiple fields.

How can the preferential tariff policies of the Hainan FTP and the strategic positioning of the "two headquarters bases" be leveraged to enhance China-ASEAN cooperation?

Anna Rosario Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, noted in an interview with China News Network that this will facilitate the restructuring of industrial value chains between the two sides, benefiting collaboration in sectors such as agricultural products, seafood, and nickel resources.

Additionally, the customs closure will help broaden new channels for trade in services, creating new paradigms for bilateral cooperat