Ge Hongliang: China-ASEAN Free Trade Port Cooperation Has Broad Prospects

Why did Singapore emphasize free trade port cooperation at the Boao Forum?

During the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026 held last week, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong expressed that Singapore is willing to deepen cooperation with China in various fields, including the construction of free trade ports. He believes that this is an opportunity for both Singapore and China to further strengthen the connections between their free trade ports, enhancing each country’s role as a regional gateway and further bridging the gap between China and Southeast Asian countries.

Indeed, Singapore has been known as a free trade port since the late 1960s, but looking at the Southeast Asian region, the development of free trade ports is currently on the rise. Strengthening free trade port cooperation between China and ASEAN countries holds significant practical and strategic value given the current regional and international situation.

Understanding the connotation and main characteristics of free trade ports is the foundation for exploring the practical and strategic value of China-ASEAN free trade port cooperation. By definition, a free trade port is a shorthand for a free trade zone, referring to a specific area set up within a country or region, outside customs management checkpoints, allowing foreign goods, capital, and personnel to move freely in and out. It exempts all or most goods entering and exiting the port area from tariffs and permits the free storage, exhibition, processing, and manufacturing of goods within the port. In terms of characteristics, the establishment and development of free trade ports require highly open trade policies, a relaxed investment environment, special regulatory models, and a supporting service system. As a product and driving force of globalization, free trade port policies are not only an important symbol of a country’s openness to the outside world but also a crucial platform and window for a country and region to integrate into the global economic system.

During the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026, Hainan Free Trade Port officially celebrated its first hundred days of closure. In the past hundred days, Hainan Free Trade Port has showcased China’s commitment to further opening up to the outside world through its tangible achievements. Relevant data shows that since the closure, 7,503 new foreign trade enterprises have been registered, a year-on-year increase of 65.7%; 737 new foreign-funded enterprises have been established, with a year-on-year growth of over 30%; and the total import and export volume has exceeded 80 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 32.9%. The positive development momentum of Hainan Free Trade Port may be the fundamental reason why Singapore wants to cooperate with China. This also reflects the enormous potential for cooperation on free trade ports between China and ASEAN countries.

Currently, the free trade port and free trade zone policies of China and ASEAN countries are on the rise. In addition to Hainan Free Trade Port, China has established 22 free trade pilot zones during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, forming a comprehensive open pattern along the coast, border, and inland; while in Southeast Asia, apart from Singapore Free Trade Port, several ASEAN countries have also set up similar special zones or free trade zones, such as Malaysia’s Johor-Singapore Economic Zone and Indonesia’s Batam Free Trade Zone. It is undeniable that there may be some degree of business competition between free trade ports, especially among those that are close to each other within the region. However, we must also recognize that the free trade zones of China and ASEAN countries each have their focus. For example, Hainan Free Trade Port focuses on processing trade, cross-border e-commerce, and biomedicine, while Singapore excels in finance and services. The Johor-Singapore Economic Zone emphasizes taking on Singapore’s overflow industries, and the Batam Free Trade Zone focuses on electronics, electrical, shipbuilding, and data industries. Thus, there is significant complementarity in cooperation between the free trade ports and free trade zones of China and ASEAN countries. In the era of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0, the establishment of a cooperation network among free trade ports and free trade zones in the region has positive significance for the development of China and ASEAN countries.

More importantly, the current international environment is increasingly characterized by uncertainty and instability. Against the backdrop of serious challenges to the international system and intensified geopolitical games increasing global economic risks, the strategic value of China-ASEAN free trade port cooperation becomes even more prominent. First, free trade port cooperation will demonstrate the determination of China and ASEAN countries to explore flexible and pragmatic cooperation models and strengthen multilateralism. The establishment of a free trade port network will genuinely bring China and ASEAN countries closer together, providing greater momentum for building a China-ASEAN community with a shared future. Second, free trade ports symbolize rule-making and standard-setting. Hainan Free Trade Port carries the mission of exploring and promoting institutional opening towards ASEAN countries, so cooperation between China and ASEAN countries on free trade ports will provide new platforms for collaboration in trade facilitation, investment facilitation, intellectual property protection, data flow, and more, contributing new strength to building and maintaining a fair, just, open, inclusive, and cooperative international economic order.

Perhaps, China-ASEAN free trade port cooperation will soon welcome opportunities. As the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2027, Singapore plans to promote deeper cooperation in upgrading the free trade area between ASEAN and China, further promoting the process of regional integration. The recognition that “Hainan Free Trade Port reflects China’s determination to expand openness” will undoubtedly propel ASEAN countries to take new steps in their cooperation with China on free trade ports. (The author is a researcher at the ASEAN Research Center of Guangxi University for Nationalities.)