HAIKOU, China, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A report from Hainan International Media Center (HIMC):
On May 19, the 2025 China Hainan Free Trade Port-UAE Promotion Conference was successfully held in Dubai. Over 250 government and free trade zone participants from the UAE and Hainan, along with business leaders and media representatives, attended the event. The focus was on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, encompassing cooperation in sectors such as new energy, finance, biopharmaceuticals, healthcare, and agarwood, injecting strong momentum into the establishment of the Hainan FTP as an innovative hub for China-UAE economic and trade relations.
The 2025 China Hainan Free Trade Port-UAE Promotion Conference was held in Dubai.
In his opening address, Feng Fei, Secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee highlighted the province’s firm commitment to creating a free trade port with a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment and “zero tariffs, low tax rates, and a simplified tax system” at its core. He further emphasized that Hainan would focus on promoting in-depth cooperation with the UAE in the digital economy and green energy. Chinese Ambassador to the UAE Zhang Yiming pointed out that the open policies of the Hainan FTP are highly consistent with the UAE’s “50-Year Development Plan,” and the cooperation between the two sides will set a new benchmark for China-Middle East economic and trade cooperation.
Abdulla Al Saleh, Under-Secretary of Foreign Trade and Industry at the UAE Ministry of Economy, said that the UAE will actively link in with the Hainan FTP’s financial liberalization and cross-border trade facilitation policies and jointly explore innovative cooperation models in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. Dr. Ali M. Al-Khouri, Secretary-General of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the UAE and Chairman of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy, Marwan Al Marri, Regional Director of Asia from Dubai Chambers, and Omar Al Muhairi, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at DP World Group, expressed their confidence in the cooperation prospects between the UAE and the Hainan FTP.
At the event, the Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development provided a systematic breakdown of the advantageous policies and development opportunities of the Hainan FTP. Meanwhile, Hainan Provincial Financial Supervision and Administration Bureau and the Danzhou Municipal Government conducted thematic presentations on financial opening pilot initiatives, cross-border capital flows, and new investment opportunities in the Danzhou-Yangpu Economic Circle, respectively. In a bid to promote bilateral cooperation, representatives from Mingyang Group, Qilu Pharmaceutical, Mellser International Medical Center, and the Hainan Agarwood Industry Association shared information about Hainan’s distinctive industries, specialty products, and plans to expand into the Middle Eastern market.
During the meeting, Hainan signed four strategic cooperation agreements with enterprises from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, covering new energy, logistics parks, automobile trade, and headquarters base construction. A business negotiation session was arranged after the meeting, during which representatives of more than 100 Chinese and Arab companies met and laid the groundwork for future cooperation.