Special customs operations in Hainan FTP milestone for China's opening-up: provincial official

The launch of special customs operations in south China's Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) marks a milestone step for China in building the FTP into a new opening-up highland with strong international influence, said Feng Fei, secretary of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), while highlighting the improvement of preferential policies in four major aspects.

The island-wide special customs operations started on Thursday, allowing freer entry of overseas goods, expanded zero-tariff coverage and more business-friendly measures.

"According to the 'Overall Plan for the Construction of Hainan Free Trade Port,' the development will follow a three-step approach. By 2025, a policy and institutional system focused on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation will be initially established, and island-wide special customs operations will be launched at an appropriate time. By 2035, Hainan FTP will become a new highland for China's opening-up economy. By mid-century, it will be fully built into a high-level free trade port with strong international influence. Currently, we are at the critical stage of the 'first step,' the launch of special customs operations," said Feng.

Currently, a policy and institutional system for the FTP has take shape, featuring "zero tariffs", low tax rates, facilitation in trade and investment, cross-border capital flow, personnel exchange, transportation, and safe and orderly flow of data. These together lay a solid foundation for special customs operations, according to Feng.

"The main policy changes are in four areas. The biggest change is 'zero-tariff'-- a more favorable policy for goods after the special customs operations start. Second, more relaxed trade controls. The 'List of Prohibited and Restricted Goods and Articles for Import and Export' has removed import license requirements for 60 old electromechanical product codes, covering about 80 percent of those previously listed. Also, 38 types of products can now be repaired in bonded zones in Hainan under the 'both ends abroad' model," he said.

The 'both ends abroad' model refers to a policy that allows products from overseas to be repaired in bonded zones before returning to the overseas market. Under the policy, necessary components for the maintenance process, which need to be imported from overseas, enjoy tariff-free treatment.

"Third, customs and travel will become easier. Most of goods, people, items, and vehicles will go through the same procedures as before when entering Hainan," Feng said.

Feng noted that citizens from 86 countries are allowed to enter Hainan visa-free. Among them, 59 countries enjoy special visa-free policies, allowing inbound visitors to stay up to 30 days in Hainan per visit.

"Fourth, we will carry out smarter and more efficient supervision. We want to keep things safe but also make it easy and convenient. For goods covered by the 'zero-tariff' policy, those enjoying duty-free treatment for value-added processing, and products with relaxed trade controls, we apply low-interference but efficient and precise supervision to ensure these open policies are smoothly implemented," he said.

Special customs operations in Hainan FTP milestone for China's opening-up: provincial official

Special customs operations in Hainan FTP a milestone for China's opening-up: provincial official

Tens of thousands of Cambodians took part in a massive rally on Thursday in the country's capital, Phnom Penh, marching through the streets to call for peace as the recent round of fighting with neighboring Thailand dragged into its 12th day.

The participants, waving the Cambodian national flag and holding banners, walked for about 40 minutes to the city's Independence Monument Park, in the third "March for Peace" demonstration so far this year after two similar events held in August and June.

Organized by the Union of Youth Federations, the event called for an end to the ongoing border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, which erupted on Dec 7 and has so far caused scores of deaths on both sides. It also aimed to highlight Cambodia's commitment to peace and its adherence to the ceasefire agreement signed with Thailand on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia in October.

Since the long-running border dispute erupted into violence again, more than 450,000 Cambodian civilians have been displaced, according to the country's interior ministry.

"Our people living along the border are feeling afraid and anxious, and everyone cannot work as they have to flee the areas they used to live in. I would like to ask the international community to look at it in order to find justice for Cambodia. Cambodia needs peace. Cambodia only need prosperity as we previously had. We don't want war. So, the one who is invading Cambodia, please stop from now on," said Nhap Tevy, a local of Phnom Penh who took part in Thursday's march.

"I take part in this event to support our country so that we don't have conflict anymore. We don't want the conflict. We want safety for our people, as the conflict causes some of our people to die. In our village, we have also gathered some donations to help our displaced people and soldiers," said Prak San, another participant from Cambodia's Kandal province.

The border tensions, which originate from a long-standing territorial dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, first turned violent in July this year.

A peace agreement signed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in late October aimed to stop the fighting. It included plans to remove heavy weapons and clear landmines.

However, the deal has mostly fallen apart, with both Cambodia and Thailand accusing each other of breaking the rules. Heavy fighting has continued in several border areas, despite international mediation efforts.

Thousands march for peace in Phnom Penh, calling for end to border conflict with Thailand