A visitor (right) experiences a helicopter simulator from CITIC Offshore Helicopter Co Ltd during the China International Consumer Products Expo 2025 in Haikou, Hainan province. [Photo by Luo Yunfei/China News Service]

High-tech Industries

High-tech industrial clusters, exemplified by electronic information and biopharmaceuticals, have begun to take shape. In 2024, both digital economy and new petrochemical materials industry in Hainan recorded an annual output value of 100 billion yuan ($13.91 billion). The island's installed capacity of clean energy encompassing nuclear, wind, and solar power is steadily expanding. The Nanfan Scientific and Research Breeding Base, often referred to as China's "Silicon Valley" of agriculture, has become a benchmark for scientific and technological innovation in the seed breeding industry chain.

Digital economy

Hainan has achieved full outdoor 5G coverage in major urban areas and completed key international communication projects, including the Haikou Regional International Communication Service Import and Export Bureau and Hainan-Hong Kong submarine cable. Facilities like the Hainan Eco-Software Park and the Haikou Fullsing Internet Industrial Park have emerged as hubs for renowned internet companies. Additionally, Haiyiban, a digital government affairs service platform in Hainan, has been launched to enhance services for individuals and companies alike.

Through the implementation of refined policies and mechanisms, the island has seen a surge in its information infrastructure capacity, resulting in enhanced international connectivity and elevated service quality. Notable advancements have been made in its capabilities in internet governance and cybersecurity.

Biopharmaceuticals

Hainan, home to more than 3,080 species of medicinal plants, has a unique and rich endowment of medical resources. In order to promote the development of the biopharmaceutical industry, Hainan has introduced a pilot program for a joint regulatory innovation mechanism for importing biopharmaceutical R&D materials. Under the program, eligible biopharmaceutical enterprises can import biopharmaceutical R&D materials without the need to apply for customs clearance of imported drugs. This streamlined importation process has slashed costs for  enterprises to develop innovative drugs, establish R&D facilities, bolster R&D investment, and elevate the overall innovation prowess of the pharmaceutical industry in the free trade port.


Clean Energy

Hainan aims to peak carbon emissions by 2025 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, focusing on its goals of becoming a national ecological civilization pilot zone and a clean energy island. Leveraging areas such as the Yangpu Economic Development Zone and the Hainan (Changjiang) Clean Energy High-Tech Industrial Park, the province plans to build a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system by 2025. The output value of the island's new energy vehicle industry cluster is expected to top 33 billion yuan.

Energy conservation & environmental protection

Riding the wave of the island-wide plastic bags ban, Hainan is vigorously establishing an industrial chain of biodegradable materials in the Yunlong Biodegradable Material Production Base in the Haikou National Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone. The province is also expediting the development of green buildings and construction materials by fostering Hainan (Changjiang) Clean Energy High-tech Industrial Park, Ding'an Taling Industrial Park, and Ding'an Xinzhu Green Construction Industrial Park.

Petrochemical new materials

Hainan has developed a complete oil and gas industrial chain covering exploration, processing, transport, storage and trade. The province is extending the industrial chain by incorporating more high-tech elements, creating an integrated system of upstream exploration, midstream processing, and downstream new materials production. Hainan has set the goals of developing Yangpu Economic Development Zone in Danzhou into an internationally competitive petrochemical new materials base and transforming the county-level city of Dongfang into a natural gas-based new materials production base. To bolster the achievement of the goals, auxiliary facilities, including enterprise regional headquarters in Haikou and a service center in Chengmai county, are in the pipeline.

Aerospace

Located in Longlou town, Wenchang, a county-level city in Hainan, the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center is China's first coastal launch site and one of the few low-latitude launch sites worldwide. It undertakes major national satellite launch missions.

High-end food processing

Hainan's rich supply of coconuts, pineapples, mangos, various melons and vegetables lays a good foundation for agricultural product processing.

Enterprises are exempt from import duties, import value-added tax and consumption tax on raw and auxiliary materials for food processing, as well as production equipment for self-use, provided that they meet the requirements on the designated lists, and are not prohibited imports.

For goods produced by the enterprises in the encouraged industries that either contain no imported materials or have at least 30 percent (including) of added value from local processing, the import tariff are exempt when entering the mainland, while the import value-added tax and consumption tax are collected in accordance with the regulations.

Seed breeding

A total of 242,600 mu (16,173 hectares) of standardized seed breeding land have been built in Hainan to advance its vision of becoming China's "Silicon Valley" of agriculture.

Hainan has established partnership with numerous universities renowned for their advanced agricultural programs and faculty resources, including China Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Hainan University and Henan University. The Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory was established in May 2021 to build a scientific and innovative platform for the seed breeding industry.

The China Seed Congress, held once a year in Hainan, is one of the nation's premier seed industry events, bringing together scientists, entrepreneurs, and experts from around the world to exchange ideas and strengthen collaboration.

Deep sea technology

Administrating over two-thirds of China's sea area, Hainan boasts unique advantages in deep-sea exploration and exploitation. Most of China's waters deeper than 1,000 meters are in the South China Sea. Sanya Deep Sea Science and Technology City is only 128 kilometers away from the 1,000-meter-deep waters and 260 km from the 2,000-meter-deep waters, providing an ideal natural lab for deep-sea research and experiment.

Hainan's innovation capabilities in marine science and technology have been steadily advancing. It hosts a number of national-level innovation facilities, including the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of Chinese Academy of Sciences, alongside the State Key Laboratory of Marine Resources Utilization in the South China Sea. The laboratory is the first State key laboratory co-built in the province by Hainan and ministries.

A range of key national deep-sea research vessels and submersibles, such as the scientific research ship Tan Suo Yi Hao (Discovery One), Shenhai Yongshi (Deep-Sea Warrior) and Fendouzhe (Striver), are all stationed in Hainan, reinforcing the province's role as a national leader in deep-sea exploration and innovation.

Sources: en.hnftp.gov.cn and 2025 Hainan Free Trade Port Investment Guide