Vice premier stresses facilitating construction of Hainan free trade port

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chief of the leading group on deepening all-round reform and opening-up in south China's Hainan Province, makes remarks at a meeting regarding the province's free trade port construction in Haikou, capital of Hainan, Nov. 8, 2019. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

HAIKOU, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Saturday called for pushing forward the construction of a free trade port in south China's Hainan Province.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chief of the leading group on deepening all-round reform and opening-up in Hainan, made the remarks at a meeting regarding the free trade port construction.

He stressed that the free trade port should be built in line with the world's highest level of opening up.

Greater autonomy in reform should be given to Hainan to break the institutional constraints and barriers, Han said.

He pointed out that the policy and institutional system designs of Hainan's free trade port should highlight the focus of trade and investment freedom.

Noting the unique ecological advantages in the island province, Han added that Hainan's development should be led by tourism, modern services and high-tech industries, to shore up the foundation of real economy as well as strengthen industrial competence.

Measures should be taken to facilitate cross-border flow of investment and people, he said, adding that special taxation policies should be set up to cater to the high-level free trade port.

The vice premier also called for transfering government functions and greatly simplifying approval systems to raise work efficiency in the construction of the free trade port.