Hainan will continue advancing institutional reform and strive to establish itself as a crucial gateway for China's high-level opening-up in the new era, provincial officials and experts said.

The remarks came after the 2026 Government Work Report outlined how China will press ahead with development of the Hainan Free Trade Port as part of a broader strategy to deepen reform and expand high-standard opening-up.

This marked the eighth consecutive year that the Hainan Free Trade Port has been mentioned in the annual government work report.

"Choosing Hainan means choosing opportunities. Investing in Hainan means investing in the future," said Feng Fei, Party secretary of Hainan.

Feng emphasized the importance of developing "two bases" — one for Chinese enterprises expanding globally and another for foreign companies seeking access to the Chinese market.

Hainan's negative list for foreign investment is the shortest in the country, Feng said, extending a warm welcome to international investors. Feng made the remarks in response to a question from China Daily at a news conference on Saturday in Beijing on the sidelines of the ongoing fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress.

Siemens Energy became the first foreign-invested enterprise to complete registration on Dec 18 after receiving its business license from the Yangpu administrative service center in Danzhou.

The company simultaneously broke ground on a gas turbine assembly base and service center, which it described as a first-of-its-kind project in China.

The move marked a milestone manufacturing project demonstrating investor confidence and came as Hainan launched island-wide special customs operations on the same day.

In 2025, Hainan's actual use of foreign capital grew 19.9 percent, outpacing its GDP growth. The number of newly established foreign-funded enterprises increased 13 percent in the first month after the launch of island-wide special customs operations, government data showed.

The structure of foreign trade also improved significantly, with total service imports and exports surging 22.1 percent in 2025, far exceeding the growth of goods trade. More than 10,000 additional business entities benefited from the "zero-tariff" policy.

Feng outlined plans to strengthen industrial chain connectivity, integrate further into the national unified market, deepen cooperation with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and enhance international collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative, particularly in tropical agriculture and digital trade.

He said the province will continue promoting deeper international cooperation to better connect global resources.

Lyu Yan, an NPC deputy and deputy head of Baoting Li and Miao autonomous county in Hainan province, said the first Spring Festival holiday following the launch of the special customs operations resulted in a 28.9 percent increase in tourists to the island and a 30.7 percent hike in their overall spending.

"The policy dividends of the Hainan Free Trade Port are accelerating their transformation into market vitality," Lyu said, adding that diverse consumption scenarios are helping drive Hainan's development as an international tourism consumption center.

"Hassle-free consumption in Hainan is not just a slogan, but a commitment to ensuring every visitor enjoys their time, trusts their purchases and feels at ease throughout their journey," she said.

Chen Fan, a deputy to the NPC and deputy director of the Yazhouwan National Laboratory, said: "As the only national-level laboratory in China's agricultural sector, our mission is to develop major strategic crop varieties to meet real demand.

"Our laboratory has established the largest and most extensive innovation platform for biological breeding in China, with the most comprehensive system in terms of scale, scope and infrastructure."

He added that the goal is to rapidly advance construction of the "Nanfan Silicon Valley", establish a leading hub for future agriculture and contribute to the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

Contact the writers at masi@chinadaily.com.cn