Hainan
Separate customs zone Dec 2025; 6,600 tariff-free categories; 9,979 foreign firms (77% post-2020); 35% economic openness; ASEAN trade 2.5x since 2020.
Hainan became a separate customs zone from mainland China in December 2025, eliminating tariffs on most imports and expanding tariff-free categories from 1,900 to 6,600. GDP stood at 793.57 billion yuan in 2024 (28th of 31 regions), but economic openness rose from 17.3% (2018) to 35% (2024). By end of 2024, 9,979 foreign-invested enterprises operated on the island—77.3% established after June 2020—with investors from 174 countries/regions (up from 43 in 2018). Four leading industries (tourism, modern services, high-tech, tropical agriculture) now account for 67% of GDP (+14pp since 2018). Services compose 60%+ of GDP; manufacturing just 19%. ASEAN trade grew from 23 billion yuan (2020) to 57 billion yuan (2024). Goods trade reached 277.65 billion yuan in 2024 (+20%). The free trade port experiment represents China's most ambitious opening-up pilot, albeit from a low base versus Shanghai.