Hainan Free Trade Port: China's first Free Trade Port wants to add fashion

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Hainan, China's southern tropical island province, is building the nation's first pilot free trade port. But apart from the free flow of trade, capital and goods to buy, artists and start-up entrepreneurs are trying to bring state-of-the-art fashion there. CGTN's Ge Yunfei has the story.

A small group gathered at a small café listening to an indie live show every week. This was almost impossible a few years ago in Haikou, the capital of Hainan Province, a.k.a China's Hawaii.

EVA WREN INDEPENDENT MUSICIAN & DESIGNER "In 2015 and 2016, it was empty here. "

Singer Eva Wren is also a fashion designer who came to Hainan three years ago from the U.K. She soon found the island to be a "culture desert". But she decided to stay, and make a change.

EVA WREN INDEPENDENT MUSICIAN & DESIGNER "So we think the fashion thing can actually be connected to it. Why can't we build Hainan into a platform to connect foreign brands with the Chinese mainland and southeast Asia."

So Eva started to work with a Russian company called Sempro Group to make that happen. And in February, Boao Fashion Art Week, the first international fashion event in Hainan's history, was held on the island. 20 independent brands from 10 countries were showcased.

IAIN INGLIS, CO-PARTNER SEMPRO GROUP "It was a five-day event. We welcomed people all over the world and China and the region, like Thailand, the Philippines, Russia, Kazakhstan and so on."

The success of fashion week made Iain Inglis and his partners consider moving the company's Asian headquarters from Hong Kong to Hainan. And they were told the whole registration process would only take one day.

IAIN INGLIS, CO-PARTNER SEMPRO GROUP "My colleagues said that's great. But I was always skeptical. I said No. But actually, they did. I'm not joking. We gave all the information that was necessary. And the next day, we had a company."

Soon after that, the Chinese government announced that Hainan would become the nation's first free trade port. The fashion industry is also part of the plan.

EVA WREN INDEPENDENT MUSICIAN & DESIGNER "We talked with the government too. They wanted to do that too. They want to offer something that international designers can make that studios here or bring the company here."

Starting May 1st, nationals from 59 countries can enjoy a 30-day visa-free stay on this tropical island. But for a foreign company like Sempro, that policy is still not enough.

IAIN INGLIS, CO-PARTNER SEMPRO GROUP "As somebody who hopes to hire foreign employees in the future, I hope the visa process, especially work visa will be improved. That will be very important."

Iain's concern is already being addressed by the local government.

HUANG QIAN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF ORGANIZATION, CPC HAINAN PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE "We're now planning to reform the current foreigner registration system. We'll take a more active and effective policy to encourage foreigners to work in Hainan."

Wren says the building of a free trade port is not only about free flow of capital and trade, but also about the free flow of minds and people. Ge Yunfei, CGTN, Hainan Province.