Global organization sets up APAC headquarters in Hainan province

The World Free Zone Organization, a global nonprofit organization, is setting up its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, to further support the development of free trade zones in China, according to city authorities.

Listed as one of the construction projects for the China (Hainan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the nation's 12th and largest FTZ, the new headquarters will be located in the 298-square-kilometer Jiangdong New District, a comprehensive and innovative zone designed to demonstrate Hainan's efforts in deepening reform and opening-up.

China announced plans to transform the whole of Hainan Island into a pilot free trade zone in April 2018. As part of this, it granted Hainan more autonomy than the other 11 FTZs in the country, with an aim to make Hainan the flag bearer of the country's reform and opening up.