At present, Hainan has fully launched preparations for customs closure operation to ensure that the hardware conditions for customs closure are in place by the end of 2023, all preparations for customs closure are completed by the end of 2024, and the island-wide customs closure operation is realized by the end of 2025. What does the island-wide customs closure operation of Hainan mean? What is the "seal" of the whole island of Hainan? What will be the impact of the closure of the entire island of Hainan? Liu Feng, director of the Free Trade Port Research Center with Chinese Characteristics of Hainan Normal University, recently gave an exclusive interview to a reporter from China News Agency to answer the above questions.
Liu Feng said that "customs closure" is a customs term, and the operation of customs closure is to build a special area for customs supervision on the whole island of Hainan, and implement a "first-line liberalization, second-line control, and freedom on the island" import and export management system in this area. "First line" refers to the relationship between the Hainan Free Trade Port and overseas; The "second line" refers to the relationship between the Hainan Free Trade Port and the mainland.
Liu Feng, Director of the Research Center for Free Trade Port with Chinese Characteristics, Hainan Normal University
The main focus of the "first line" is to supervise people, and 99% of the goods are duty-free into Hainan Island, so we conclude that the "first line" manages people regardless of goods, and the "first line" is mainly to supervise the entry and exit of personnel. The "second line" conversely, the "second line" manages the goods regardless of people, and the "second line" mainly supervises the goods, and the residents of our Chinese mainland can freely enter and exit Hainan through their identity cards. Therefore, from this point of view, the "second line" is mainly aimed at goods, which is what we just emphasized, to prevent a large number of duty-free goods from entering the mainland in the future. This is what we understand as a closure.
Liu Feng said that the closure of the entire island of Hainan means the historic transformation of Hainan Island from "inside the customs" to "inside the customs." After the operation of customs closure, with the further optimization of policies, Hainan Free Trade Port will be more free and convenient in terms of trade in goods and personnel exchanges in the future.
Liu Feng, Director of the Research Center for Free Trade Port with Chinese Characteristics, Hainan Normal University
First of all, for goods, we see that Hainan Island will be a global duty-free distribution center in the future, and a large number of goods will be distributed, stored, transported and traded on Hainan Island, so Hainan can become a bridge and hub for goods trade between overseas and the mainland. From the perspective of personnel, Hainan entry and exit will be more free and convenient, especially now that the 59-country visa-free policy is implemented in Hainan Island, with the further optimization of our policy in the future, the scope of the so-called visa-free will be expanded in the future, so the future access of international tourists in Hainan will be greatly improved. Then from the perspective of capital exchanges, Hainan Island will also become an important window for the internationalization of our RMB in the future, especially the entry and exit of funds.
【Commentary】According to the schedule, Hainan must have the hardware conditions for customs closure by the end of 2023. During the recent on-site visit, the reporter saw that the construction of the customs closure operation project on the whole island of Hainan was in full swing, and the construction site of the Haikou New Port and the "second-tier port" (freight) centralized inspection site of the South Port on the south coast of the Qiongzhou Strait was in full swing; The Hainan Airport (Haikou) customs closure operation project of Haikou Meilan International Airport is also intensifying.
【During the same period】Cao Yongchun, General Manager of Infrastructure Management Department of Haikou Meilan International Airport
Meilan Airport set up a special work class for customs closure operation, detailing the four stages of "top-level (mode) design", "hardware transformation", "software preparation" and "starting customs closure", and taking the lead in building a new supervision model from passengers, cargo, data and other aspects, and promoting hardware transformation and information construction according to clear project design. The "Hardware Retrofit" part started on May 2022, 5. Up to now, the project has a total of 31 renovation points, 6 have started construction, the overall equipment procurement has completed 5%, and it is planned to complete the commissioning of equipment and facilities in October this year and complete it in December.
【During the same period】Li Qinchen, chief engineer of the construction project of Haikou New Port and Nangang "second-tier port" (freight) centralized inspection site
After the completion of the project, all trucks leaving the island will enter the project inspection platform through the contact channel on the south side of the project, enter the auxiliary special channel through the contact channel on the north side of the project, and then enter the port to leave the island. We plan to complete it on December 2023, 12.
Reporter Li Yufan reported from Haikou
Responsible Editor: [Li Ji]