On the afternoon of March 25, 2025, Global Free Trade Port Development Forum of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference was held at the main chamber of the Boao Forum for Asia International Conference Center. Themed “Free Trade Ports Empowering Global Economic and Trade Cooperation”, the forum brought together around 600 participants, including representatives of international organizations, officials from Chinese and foreign governments, representatives from free trade ports (zones) at home and abroad, renowned experts and scholars, entrepreneurs, and members of both domestic and international media. The forum consisted of an opening ceremony and high-level dialogues, with discussions focusing on the opportunities and challenges global free trade ports (zones) are facing; how to leverage free trade ports (zones) as platforms to promote international trade and investment cooperation; and how to enhance functional connectivity between the Hainan Free Trade Port and other global free trade zones.

Professor Chi Fulin, President of the China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD) and President of the Hainan Institute for Free Trade Port Studies (HIFTPS), pointed out that against the backdrop of intensifying geopolitical conflicts and major shifts in the global geo-economic landscape, global free trade is facing severe challenges. The multilateral trade coordination system centered on the WTO has been seriously impacted, and economic globalization has significantly declined, while regional integration is developing rapidly. In light of the new global trade landscape, Professor Chi emphasized that free trade ports are playing an increasingly vital role in promoting global free trade. They are becoming key drivers of global trade liberalization, contributors to regional and global economic growth, and facilitators of regional economic and trade cooperation. With its strategic goal of becoming a major gateway for opening-up, the Hainan Free Trade Port is well-positioned to serve as a strategic hub for China-ASEAN cooperation. Professor Chi called for advancing comprehensive unilateral opening-up toward key regions such as ASEAN and accelerating the development of Hainan into a new highland for institutional opening-up.

During the forum, Professor Chi Fulin proposed three key initiatives: First, Establishing a Global Free Trade Ports (Zones) Network; Second, Creating a World Free Trade Forum; Third, Supporting Hainan Free Trade Port as the host location for the APEC Summit in 2026.

The HIFTPS participated in the co-organization of this year’s forum.