On May 15, Qian Weizhong, Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA) and Chairperson of COSCO SHIPPING (Hong Kong), led a delegation to visit Haikou City, Hainan Province. The delegation held talks with Fan Shaojun, Secretary of the Haikou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, and Zhang Yong, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Committee and Mayor of Haikou. Building on the new starting point and phase following the full implementation of independent customs operation for the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), the two sides explored ways to deepen cooperation in the shipping industry and beyond, in order to better support the development of the FTP.

Fan Shaojun expressed his gratitude to the HKSOA for its longstanding care and support in promoting Hainan-Hong Kong shipping cooperation and in backing the socioeconomic development of Hainan and Haikou. He provided an overview of the progress of the Hainan FTP and Haikou’s socioeconomic growth.

He noted that since the FTP’s independent customs operation took effect, Haikou—as the provincial capital and the core leading area of the FTP—has seen its vitality in opening up continue to thrive, the quality and efficiency of its economic development steadily improve, and the pace of reform and innovation accelerate on all fronts. The city is increasingly becoming a destination of choice for businesses seeking new investment and development opportunities. He called for the establishment of regular communication and interaction mechanisms between both sides. By leveraging their respective strengths, they could achieve new outcomes in areas of cooperation such as shipping services, port and shipping infrastructure development, and talent recruitment and cultivation, so as tocontribute significantly to the construction of the Hainan FTP.

The HKSOA delegation expressed its optimism about the opportunities arising from the independent customs operation and the greater openness of the Hainan FTP. The delegation praised Haikou’s favourable business environment, promising development prospects, and attractive policies, expressing strong confidence in investing and operating in the city. Going forward, the delegation said it would work to enhance mutual understanding and strengthen engagement, with the goal of delivering new concrete cooperation results as soon as possible, while deeply taking part in and integrating into the development of the FTP to share in the benefits of its growth.

The meeting was also attended by Chen Weidong, a municipal leader of Haikou; Yang Xianxiang, Director of HKSOA and Chairperson of HKSOA China Sub-committee; Sandy Chan, Managing Director of HKSOA; Wang Ran, Chairperson of Hainan Harbor and Shipping Holding; as well as Lin Jian, Vice President of COSCO SHIPPING (Hong Kong), and Jia Guangchao, Assistant to President of COSCO SHIPPING (Hong Kong).