Inbound passengers line up for border procedures at Sanya Phoenix International Airport in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Dec. 18, 2025. China on Thursday launched island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP). (Photo：Xinhua)

The passenger numbers at the Sanya Phoenix International Airport in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province this year set a new record high on Saturday, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) News reported on Sunday.

As of Saturday, the airport had handled 133,599 takeoffs and landings so far this year, up 7.0 percent year on year, with passenger throughput reaching 21.849 million, an increase of 5.8 percent, and cargo throughput totaling 113,000 tons, up 16.3 percent, according to the report.

The number of passengers set a new record. International passenger volume reached 895,000, surging 46.6 percent year-on-year, a standout performance that started to demonstrate the international appeal of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP).

The Sanya airport serves 41 international routes, with its network covering 32 international destinations in Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and Europe. The "Air Silk Road" network with Sanya serving as a pivot continues to expand intensively, effectively promoting interconnectivity with all Belt and Road Initiative partner countries, the CCTV News report said.

Island-wide special customs operations were launched on Thursday in Hainan Province, the world's largest FTP by area, under which Hainan implemented a system characterized by a clearly defined framework of "freer access at the first line, regulated access at the second line, and free flows within the island." It is expected that relevant FTP policies, plus enhanced infrastructure and quality of services, will further elevate the tropical island's attractiveness as a travel destination.

On Thursday, the first day of special customs operations, duty-free shopping sales for offshore travelers reached 161 million yuan ($22.87 million), up 61 percent year on year, with 24,800 shoppers, an increase of 53.1 percent, and 118,000 items purchased, up 25.5 percent, according to data released by local customs and cited by chinanews.com on Friday.

Global Times