A delegation from Hainan Province visited Hong Kong from October 19 to 20, signing memoranda of cooperation with The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong (CMA) and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI) to advance pragmatic collaboration in trade and investment, manufacturing industrial chains, and professional services. The agreements, reported by Media OutReach Newswire, establish a regular liaison mechanism and a long-term cooperation platform covering information sharing, business matchmaking, exhibition collaboration, and professional services.
The visit underscores Hainan's rapid emergence as a critical gateway connecting China with the rest of the world, following the launch of island-wide special customs operations on December 18, 2025. Wang Yuyuan, Vice President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hainan Sub-council (CCPIT Hainan), noted that since the customs regime began, 174,000 new enterprises have registered in the province, a year-on-year surge of 95.9 percent. Newly established foreign-invested enterprises rose by 35.8 percent year on year, while inbound and outbound tourist arrivals exceeded 70 million in the first half of this year, up 28 percent year on year, with the number of visa-free entry countries expanding to 88. From January to August, Hainan's total goods import and export volume reached 250 billion yuan, growing by 61.5 percent year on year.
Hong Kong plays a central role in this growth. According to CCPIT Hainan, Hong Kong is a major source of foreign investment for Hainan. In the first half of this year, Hainan registered 1,303 new foreign-invested enterprises, an increase of 38.62 percent year on year, with Hong Kong-funded enterprises accounting for the largest share. Hainan has also issued offshore RMB local government bonds in Hong Kong for four consecutive years, with cumulative issuance reaching 18 billion yuan.
The memoranda are significant because they formalize cooperation with two of Hong Kong's most representative business bodies. CMA, one of Hong Kong's leading non-profit industrial and commercial organizations, has around 3,000 member enterprises and provides services including exhibitions, brand promotion, and testing and certification. FHKI, one of Hong Kong's four major chambers of commerce, has approximately 2,000 corporate members and focuses on policy advocacy, business matchmaking, certification services, and youth talent cultivation. The agreements are expected to provide solid support for pragmatic business cooperation between enterprises in Hainan and Hong Kong, leveraging Hainan's free trade port policies and Hong Kong's strengths in professional services and international connectivity.
During the visit, the delegation also met with the CCPIT Representative Office in Hong Kong and co-hosted the Hainan Free Trade Port (Hong Kong) Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Meeting with FHKI. The event showcased Hainan's policies, key industrial layout, and investment opportunities, and arranged one-on-one business matchmaking between Hainan and Hong Kong enterprises. The collaboration signals deepening economic integration between Hainan and Hong Kong, with implications for trade flows, investment patterns, and industrial chain development in the region.
