China is working on boosting exports of agricultural products

The Hainan Free Trade Port in China is currently the only island-wide free trade port in the world that encompasses agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, with tropical high-efficiency agriculture designated as one of its four key open industries, reports CGTN.

With the approach of independent island-wide customs operations, the continuous release of policy dividends is injecting new momentum into the transformation of Hainan's distinctive tropical agricultural product industry. This transformation shifts the focus from exporting raw materials to deep processing, which optimizes the industrial landscape and expands overseas markets.

Meanwhile, policies such as zero tariffs and tariff exemptions for value-added processing in the Hainan Free Trade Port have significantly boosted the development of new business models, such as leisure agriculture and shared farms. These policies also encourage a deeper integration of high-efficiency tropical agriculture with tourism and education.

China's trade policy is characterized by a state-led, mercantilist approach that combines market access liberalization with strong government support for domestic industries. It includes both membership in international trade blocs like the RCEP and a network of bilateral free trade agreements, as well as domestic industrial policies aimed at dominating high-tech sectors through subsidies and preferential treatment for national firms. While China has reduced some administrative trade barriers, concerns remain about non-market practices, intellectual property rights, and cyber security regulations. 

China uses industrial plans, such as "Made in China 2025," to promote domestic firms in strategic sectors like advanced IT, robotics, and new energy vehicles. This is supported by state guidance, subsidies and other incentives. 

China is a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest trading bloc. It has also signed numerous bilateral FTAs with partners like Belarus, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Serbia.

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