Haikou City, Hainan Province, south China - March 27, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of passengers waiting in line for border inspection, passing gate, officers working
2. Various of passengers at airport
3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Malaysian traveler (name not given) (ending with shots 4-5):
"The facilities are quite advanced, that's really good. Many countries don't offer this kind of service. The process is very smooth."
4. Passengers walking with luggage
5. Various of passengers at counter, filling in forms
6. Staff at counter, receiving passengers
7. Various of screens showing information of flights
8. Passengers getting off plane
9. Passengers waiting in line at border inspection
10. Various of passengers
11. Various of passengers at border inspection, officers working
12. Passengers getting off plane
13. Passengers at border inspection, officers working
14. Various of passengers getting personal documents checked; staff working
15. Passengers getting on bus

FILE: Hainan Province, south China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
16. Aerial shots of cityscape

Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) in China's southern tropical island province of Hainan, the world's largest free trade port by area, has seen a surge in visa-free travelers 100 days following the launch of island-wide special customs operation in it.

According to the Exit-Entry Frontier Inspection Station in the provincial capital city of Haikou, the number of travelers coming to China visa-free reached 223,000 by Friday -- the 100th day following the launch of the special customs operation policy, up 54 percent year on year.

From the entry into effect of the special customs operation policy on December 18, 2025 to Friday, the Hainan FTP saw more than 975,000 personnel entries and exits, up 36.8 percent year on year. Foreign nationals made up 53 percent of the total, with over 518,000 entries and exits, marking a year-on-year increase of 44.5 percent.

The island-wide special customs operation policy for the Hainan FTP is intended to allow freer entry of overseas goods, expand zero-tariff coverage, and introduce more business-friendly measures.

Since the launch of the special customs operation policy, the Hainan FTP has built the country's most facilitative visa-free policy framework, covering mutual visa exemption and unilateral visa-free entry. So far, passengers from 86 other countries can enter Hainan visa-free for expanded purposes including family visits, business, and medical treatment.

Beyond the preferential policies, streamlined customs clearance services here also improve travelers' experience. At the Haikou Meilan International Airport on Friday morning, border inspection officers were seen efficiently conducting identity verification, information checks, and stamping, allowing passengers to clear customs in just one minute.

"The facilities are quite advanced, that's really good. Many countries don't offer this kind of service. The process is very smooth," said a Malaysian traveler.

In efforts to cope with the influx of passengers from around the world following the launch of the special customs operation, Hainan is accelerating the development of its air network, with opening of routes covering key regions including Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe and Oceania.