Hainan keen to make mark on world stage

Improved global access can help promote region

The government of China's Hainan Province held a 2018 Hainan Free Trade Zone Promotion in London on Friday.

The event marked the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, as well as 30th anniversary of the establishment of Hainan Province's Special Economic Zone. "Hainan welcomes investors from all over the world to invest in Hainan and participate in the construction of Hainan free trade port," said Mao Chaofeng, the executive vice-governor of Hainan Province.

Just one day before the event took place, the inaugural flight of the new Sanya to London air service touched down at London's Heathrow Airport.

It is the first non-stop connection between Hainan Province and any European destination, and there will be two flights per week, with the outbound on Thursday and the inbound on Sunday respectively.

During the keynote speech at the promotional even, Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to the United Kingdom, said that the building of an experimental free trade zone and a free trade port will provide Hainan with new opportunities to upgrade its economy and reform its institutional structures.

Since May 1 this year, people from 59 qualified countries including the UK can enjoy visa-free access to Hainan for up to 30 days, an increase of the provisions introduced in 2010, when it was just 26 countries and 15 days.

Hainan is one of China's most opening and up-and-coming regions. By building the experimental free trade zone and free trade port, Hainan will set a new benchmark for China's reform and opening-up. It will bring new opportunities for cooperation between Hainan and the UK, and also for the whole China and the UK, Liu added.

Han Baoyi in London contributed to this story.