The Overall Plan for the Construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port was jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council on June 1st. This master plan for the Hainan free trade port was warmly received in both China and abroad. Foreign experts from Russia, Ukraine and Belgium shared their opinions on the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port.
Dr. Kristian Stefaan Van Haesendonck, Belgian, Foreign Expert from USY
I believe that the plan for the development of the Free Trade Port is excellent news, especially from the perspective of the internationalization of Hainan and its progressive transformation into a Free Trade Zone: this will bring new investments to the island and boost its economic activity, in line with the transformation of Hainan into a pilot free trade zone.
I am very enthusiast about the idea of free entry and exit of personnel and the implementation of an open policy to attract high-end talents (including foreign experts). Hainan will get a boost due to increased trade and enhanced tourism, and it will also be an opportunity to make Hainan better known to the world. In addition, the plan fits well in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative: Hainan will effectively turn into China’s hub for trade (overseas) between East and West. At the provincial level, Hainan will benefit from the employment opportunities that will be created in the process.
I believe Hainan can also fully benefit from and enhance the cooperation with foreign experts already present on the island (for instance by granting them long-term visas, recognizing their international driving permit, etc). These experts know Hainan well, and can function as an “interface” between the Chinese authorities and companies and foreign investors. They could fulfill a role as “cultural ambassadors” in facilitating intercultural and multilingual contact, which will increasingly take place as the Free Trade Port becomes a reality. n the end the development of Hainan as a Free Trade Zone depends on its human resources, and foreign experts (including myself) would be happy to being part of this success story.
news link: http://epaper.sanyarb.com.cn/html/2020-06/13/content_12248_2848231.htm
