The China (Hainan)–ASEAN 2026 Think Tank Forum convenes on Sept 16 in Haikou, Hainan province, drawing scholars to discuss the blue economy. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Hainan Free Trade Port should position itself as the platform where the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' marine resources meet China's vast consumer market, leveraging its preferential policies to process, add value and move goods tariff-free into the mainland, experts said at a forum on Sept 16.

The China (Hainan)-ASEAN 2026 Think Tank Forum, held in Haikou, Hainan province, under the theme "Institutional Opening-Up and New Quality Maritime Productive Forces: Forging New Drivers for China-ASEAN Blue Economic Cooperation", drew scholars who argued that the blue economy is where the next phase of China-ASEAN economic integration will be won.

Peter T. C. Chang, research associate of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association, Malaysia, described Hainan as "an absolutely critical" player.

"It has open access for our raw materials to come in here, with a 30-percent value-added processing duty-free policy, and has broad access to the Chinese market," he said. "The Hainan FTP is a strategic opening — it's an open door."

Suthiphand Chirathivat, chairman of the board of Central Group, and professor emeritus of economics and founding executive director of ASEAN Studies Center, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, said Hainan's geographic proximity makes it ASEAN's gateway to China's domestic market, with complementarity in the blue economy. He pointed to Yangpu Port, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the newly launched Pinglu Canal in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region as infrastructure that will strengthen Hainan's role.

The China (Hainan)–ASEAN 2026 Think Tank Forum convenes on Sept 16 in Haikou, Hainan province, drawing scholars to discuss the blue economy. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"Hainan can become the platform for ASEAN marine products to process, marine industry R&D, finance and logistics," he said. "Together we can build a regional value chain."

Zhang Jianping, senior research fellow and vice-chairman of the Academic Committee, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, said Hainan and Guangxi both occupy hub positions on the New Western Land-Sea Corridor (a national program to deepen the sea-land two-way opening-up and the development of western China) and expressed hope that the Pinglu Canal's opening will secure infrastructure, transport and logistics links between the Hainan FTP and ASEAN, deepening the flow of goods, people and services.

Chi Fulin, president of the Hainan Institute for Free Trade Port Studies, noted that Hainan's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) targets a doubling of its marine economy by 2035 — a goal he said matters less for its scale than for elevating Hainan's strategic role in China's opening-up. He called on the island province to serve as a bridge connecting Chinese and ASEAN enterprises, helping ASEAN firms bring products and services into the broader Chinese mainland market.

The forum comes as China and ASEAN mark five years of comprehensive strategic partnership. Priority areas identified by participants include cruise and coastal tourism with joint international routes and visa facilitation, deep processing of fisheries products, and marine energy and green transition.