The first batch of zero-tariff petrochemical raw and auxiliary materials arrived at Yangpu Port in Hainan Province on December 18, 2025, after China on Thursday launched island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), the world’s largest FTP by area. Photo: VCG

As of December 31, 2025, the value of the "zero-tariff" imported goods in Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) reached 420 million yuan ($60.05 million) since the FTP launched island-wide customs operations on December 18, 2025, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Friday, citing customs data.

During the period, the value of goods sold domestically after undergoing value-added processing and exempt from tariffs exceeded 47.23 million yuan, the report said. Since the launch of the FTP, one major change is that the number of tariff-free product categories expanded from about 1,900 to more than 6,600, while the share of goods eligible for zero tariffs rose from 21 percent to 74 percent.

Meanwhile, a total of 3,265 newly registered foreign-invested enterprises were added from December 18 to December 31, representing a year-on-year growth of more than double. And for the full year of 2025, over 30,000 new foreign trade registration enterprises were added, with a year-on-year growth exceeding 40 percent, according to the CCTV report.

The duty-free shopping market in the island is also on the surge. Since the special customs operations began, offshore duty-free shopping in South China's Hainan Province has exceeded 2 billion yuan, with more than 300,000 shoppers, per CCTV. 

Data from online travel platform Qunar.com also showed that during the three-day New Year holidays, which ended on Saturday, flight ticket bookings to Haikou and the city of Sanya recorded the fastest growth nationwide. In terms of inbound and outbound travel, Haikou and Sanya also ranked as the two cities in China with the fastest growth in inbound flight ticket bookings, with year-on-year increases exceeding threefold and fivefold respectively.

Global Times