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Canadian companies are stepping up efforts to tap China's vast consumer market, using the ongoing China International Consumer Products Expo as a launching pad for new products and deals as bilateral trade relations between the two countries show signs of renewed momentum.
Canada attended the sixth edition of the expo in Hainan province as the guest country of honor, sending its largest-ever delegation with about 40 companies across sectors including agricultural products, cosmetics, pet food and wellness products.
The expo in the provincial capital of Haikou has increasingly become a platform for foreign brands seeking market access in China — the world's second-largest consumer market and home to a rapidly expanding middle-income group.
"Canada has so much to offer the world — from clean technology to premium foods and world-class consumer products," said Canada's Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu at the opening of the Canadian pavilion on Monday.
Sidhu said the participation reflected commitments under the China-Canada Economic and Trade Cooperation Roadmap signed earlier this year, signaling both sides' willingness to deepen economic engagement.
The renewed cooperation comes as both countries look to expand joint business in areas ranging from agriculture and consumer goods to green technology and advanced manufacturing.
Among the companies using the expo to launch new products was Canadian medical technology firm WAT Medical, which unveiled a wearable weight-management device based on targeted neuromodulation technology on Tuesday.
Joe Xu, operations director at the company, said the expo provided more than a traditional trade fair function.
"It's not just a venue for launching products," Xu said. "It's also an important window for understanding global consumption trends and connecting with industry partners."
The company already sells products such as motion-sickness and headache relief wearables on Chinese e-commerce platforms, where sales have been rising steadily in recent years.
Canadian officials said the expo has become a key channel for businesses seeking entry into China's consumer market.
Behzad Babakhani, consul general at the Consulate General of Canada in Guangzhou, said the expo forms part of broader efforts to expand commercial engagement as bilateral relations enter a new phase.
"There's a lot of interest and engagement," Babakhani said.
Foreign companies are also closely watching policy developments in Hainan Free Trade Port, where the FTP's island-wide special customs operations were launched late last year — a landmark step expanding high-standard opening-up and promoting an open world economy.
Xu said his company was evaluating the possibility of establishing an operational presence in Hainan to benefit from the policy framework.
Contact the writers at lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn
Avolta, the global travel retail and food and beverage company, based in Switzerland, is exhibiting for the first time at the 2026 China International Consumer Products Expo, marking a new chapter in its presence in the Chinese market.
Michael Wong, managing director, North Asia at Avolta, which operates duty-free, convenience retail and food and beverage outlets across 70 countries, said in an exclusive interview with China Daily that the expo provides a platform to showcase its global capabilities and strengthen ties with partners in China, especially Hainan province.
"We are pleased to be participating in this year's expo for the first time as an exhibitor," Wong said. "It provides an important platform to present Avolta's capabilities, strengthen relationships across the industry, and support closer connections between brands, partners, and markets."
Avolta has operated in China for more than 16 years, with locations including Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Hongqiao, Chongqing, Shenzhen and Wuhan. Earlier this year, the company launched duty-free operations at Shanghai Pudong International Airport's Terminal 1 and Satellite 1 - the first time an international operator has won such a tender in 26 years.
Wong called the win a milestone and the cornerstone of Avolta's business in China.
During the expo, Avolta introduced Club Avolta, its loyalty program. The program allows members to earn and redeem benefits across both retail and food and beverage at more than 5,100 Avolta stores worldwide. Expo visitors who sign up receive automatic gold card membership, an upgrade from the standard silver card membership.
The company also unveiled a curated showcase of best-selling products from 12 countries, including Italy, France, Switzerland and Japan, drawn from its global store network.
Wong said it sees long-term potential in Hainan, citing the free trade port policy and recent visa-free entry rules that have boosted international arrivals, and Avolta is exploring opportunities in the region while remaining ready to expand when conditions align.
"We are very determined to grow in China in the long term, and we want to stay," Wong said. "When the opportunity comes, we're ready."
Beyond bringing international brands to Chinese travelers, Avolta said it aims to help Chinese brands expand globally, positioning itself as a bridge between markets.
The expo continues through Saturday in Haikou.
Over 3,400 brands from more than 60 countries and regions have gathered at this year's China International Consumer Products Expo in South China's Hainan province. What makes the expo such a magnet for global merchants? Click to follow China Daily's Xia Ji and hear what international exhibitors truly think.
Hainan in South China, with its favorable climate and well-developed healthcare and wellness services, has become a top destination for China's migratory seniors. To explore how eldercare is evolving — and how it will meet the growing demands of an aging population — China Daily reporter Yan An joined a senior wellness travel group on the vibrant island.
During her journey, Yan An discovered that retirement does not have to represent an end, but can instead be the start of a new chapter of self-fulfillment — supported by a rapidly improving service industry.
HAIKOU -- The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) kicked off on Monday in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan province, attracting more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions.
Themed "Opening Up Drives Global Consumption, Innovation Empowers A Better Life," this year's expo runs from April 13 to 18. Meanwhile, the 2026 "Shopping in China" International Consumption Season was launched simultaneously.
The sixth CICPE has expanded in scale, with an exhibition area of 143,000 square meters, up 13,000 square meters from the previous edition. International exhibits account for 65 percent of the total, an increase of 20 percentage points from last year. Meanwhile, over 200 new products are expected make their debut, double last year's number and spanning fields including healthcare, jewelry and digital technology.
Since its launch in 2021, the CICPE has become an important platform for multinationals to stay abreast of consumer trends in China's gigantic market, with over 3,800 enterprises and more than 12,000 brands from 92 countries and regions participating over the past five editions.
Canada, this year's guest country of honor, has organized its largest-ever delegation, with around 40 companies participating in sectors including cosmetics, agricultural products, health products and pet food.
Russia and Bulgaria are among nations setting up national pavilions for the first time, while official delegations from 12 countries and regions, including Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Ireland, are attending the event.
Beyond the main venue in Haikou, a health exhibition area in Hainan's Boao features 120 international pharmaceutical and medical device companies, while a yacht show in Sanya in the province is hosting over 200 yachts, with international brands accounting for 70 percent.
Committed to building an international, professional, and market-oriented multilateral economic and trade cooperation platform, the CICPE has become a "bridgehead" for high-level opening up. It has attracted over 230,000 domestic and overseas buyers in the five expos to date.
This edition, for the first time, has set up a buyer service center on site, providing exhibitors and buyers with full-process, all-round supply-demand matchmaking services. Additionally, an online supply-demand matchmaking platform has been established, leveraging digital technology to enable one-click matching of needs.
"An estimated 65,000 professional buyers will attend this year's expo, a 10-percent increase from the previous edition," said Lu Min, director of the Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development. "We also plan to hold more than 10 supply-demand matchmaking events to effectively enhance the sense of fulfillment for both buyers and exhibitors."
As consumption in China continues to evolve with new formats and policy support, the China International Consumer Products Expo is becoming an important window for multinational companies to track shifts in the Chinese consumer market and explore new business opportunities, analysts and executives said.
The six-day expo, which kicked off on Monday, is a major international event being held in Hainan province since the free trade port launched its island-wide special customs operations in December, offering companies a closer look at the policy environment and new investment prospects.
Speaking at the launch event of the expo, Vice-Premier He Lifeng said that China will firmly implement the strategy of expanding domestic demand, drive industrial upgrade with technological innovation, promote high-quality development and high-standard opening-up, and continuously unlock consumption vitality — injecting greater certainty and new drivers into the world economy.
He welcomed enterprises from all countries to make full use of platforms such as the expo, continue to deepen their presence in the Chinese market, and share China's development opportunities.
Chen Lifen, a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council, said, "China's consumer market is not only growing; it is upgrading, with demand for quality, personalized and internationally sourced products rising rapidly."
"The opportunities for global brands are expanding alongside it," Chen added.
International exhibits at this year's expo account for 65 percent of the total, a 20 percentage point rise from last year, while the number of professional buyers has reached about 65,000, a year-on-year increase of 10 percent.
"The expo offers a high-quality offline space for interaction," said Deserine Lim, general manager of headquarters management and East China at OSIM, a Singapore-based company manufacturing massage chairs and wellness products. "It allows brands to forge deeper connections with professional buyers and affluent consumers."
The expo has gained in value with Hainan launching its island-wide special customs operations, which allow freer entry of overseas goods under expanded zero-tariff coverage.
Lim said that Hainan is no longer just a free trade port in a geographical sense; it is becoming a global bellwether for consumption trends.
"The high efficiency and greater openness demonstrate that Hainan offers not only strong policy backing, but also an environment truly conducive to consumption upgrading," Lim said. "This gives us great confidence to deepen our brand value here."
The expo is also increasingly serving as a catalyst for foreign companies transitioning from exhibitors to investors, analysts said.
Alfred Yin, consumer sector leader at EY Greater China, attributed the shift to Hainan's special customs operations, which have enabled the island to build a multilayered duty-free system that extends duty-free consumption from specific tourist scenarios to everyday life.
The function of the Hainan expo has evolved. What was once a platform for simple product display and trade has expanded into a complete closed loop encompassing exhibitions, sightseeing, shopping, leisure and immersive experiences, Yin said.
"Many companies participating in this year's expo are no longer content with merely turning their exhibits into sellable products. Instead, they are actively exploring long-term business operations in Hainan," Yin added.
Companies are responding with concrete commitments. According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce in late March, more than 70 top-tier companies have established operations in Hainan following their participation in the expo.
Yang Gang, vice-chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group in China, said that the Thai multinational company, which mainly focuses on the agro industry and food segment in China, is willing to deeply engage in Hainan's tropical agriculture, food processing and cold-chain logistics, and turn the island into its strategic base to serve China's consumers.
wangkeju@chinadaily.com.cn
Hu Bing, a Chinese model and fashion ambassador, said in an interview on Saturday that Hainan province is entering a golden era for the fashion industry, and he is committed to using his resources to help turn the island into a global fashion week destination.
Hu noted that fashion is closely tied to economic openness and trade growth, and that the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port has boosted the duty-free market, expanded international trade, and attracted global brands, visibly raising the fashion profile of the island.
On the topic of Chinese designs going global, Hu compared it to the difference between Peking Opera and Western opera. He said local designers must preserve their cultural roots while mastering an international fashion language that global audiences can understand and embrace.
The 2026 Hainan Funteen Fashion Week kicked off Sunday at Haikou's Qilou Old Street, a heritage site that Hu praised as a rare and high-quality venue. He said top international fashion weeks often use historic architecture, and Qilou offers unique textures, lighting and spatial flow that blend historical depth with a global look.
Hu said the opening show's setting evokes the winds of Hainan and the spirit of openness. The free trade port, he said, provides a major platform for the fashion industry, enabling young Chinese designers to reach the world and international talent to enter China more smoothly.
As an ambassador for the British Fashion Council, a 10-year ambassador for London Fashion Week, an ambassador for China International Fashion Week, as well as the fashion lifestyle officer for this year's China International Consumer Products Expo, which starts on Monday, Hu said he will use his networks to help young Chinese designers use Hainan as a springboard to enter London Fashion Week while bringing outstanding global designers to Hainan.
Hu emphasized that fashion is not just about clothing but about being attuned to the spirit of the times. He said Hainan, as a dynamic region of global interest, has unique advantages to host an international fashion week and should build on its partnership with China International Fashion Week to create a platform for young designers worldwide.
Asked to define Hainan's international fashion experience in one word, Hu chose "nurturing" and "regeneration". He praised Hainan's commitment to sustainable fashion, aligning with major global trends. After nearly four decades in the industry, Hu said, he is ready to push for a high-quality Hainan International Fashion Week that could one day join Paris, New York, London and Milan as a global fashion landmark.
When walking around the expo's venues on Saturday evening, Hu said he valued all the products' aesthetics very much.
Spring radiance meets sparkling waters at Hainan's Yalong Bay! Stroll along the turquoise coast, feel the gentle breeze, and soak in the tropical charm. Perfect for a serene escape and a leisurely island getaway.
China's consumer market is gaining fresh momentum from an explosion of new business formats and consumption scenarios as well as a robust policy push, and the dynamism is prompting global companies to position themselves for a stake in what they see as one of the world's most significant sources of future growth, analysts and executives said.
Their remarks came ahead of the six-day China International Consumer Products Expo — one of Beijing's initiatives to shore up consumer spending — that opens on Monday in Hainan province, as policymakers place boosting consumption at the top of China's economic agenda for this year and beyond.
According to the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the country aims to "achieve a notable increase in household consumption as a share of gross domestic product, making domestic demand a more prominent economic driver" over the next five years.
"China's growth has moderated from its historic highs, but the economy — especially the consumer market — has proven remarkably adaptive," said Daniel Zipser, senior partner at global management consultancy McKinsey &Company.
Zipser said that the growth in the apparel, beauty, and food and beverage segments, the continued expansion of services and experiences, and inflation as a signal of demand strength, all point to "a market that is rebalancing".
Earlier this month, China allocated a second tranche of 62.5 billion yuan ($9.1 billion) to support its consumer goods trade-in program, and unveiled guidelines to boost service consumption in both established sectors such as elderly and child care, and emerging growth areas including inbound consumption and live performance.
"New types of consumption, green consumption and services consumption are projected to become long-term engines of growth," said Jeff Wu, vice-chairman of KPMG China.
Wang Xuekun, head of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that events like the China International Consumer Products Expo are not just trade fairs; they are designed to help global businesses better resonate with Chinese buyers and translate the country's growing appetite for high-quality goods and services into tangible opportunities.
The sixth edition of the Hainan expo will bring together more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions, with international exhibits accounting for 65 percent of the total. More than 200 new products are expected to make their debut, double the number launched at last year's event.
"The internationalization of the expo has increased year by year," said Yang Gang, vice-chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group in China. The Thai multinational company mainly focuses on the agro industry and food segment in China.
Yang noted that the company aims to leverage Hainan, which allows freer entry of overseas goods and expanded zero-tariff coverage following the inauguration of its island-wide special customs operations in December, as a logistics hub to efficiently deliver high-quality agricultural products from Southeast Asia to the Chinese market.
Chinese consumers are outpacing their global peers in embracing health-conscious, sustainable and internationally sourced products, creating fresh opportunities for overseas brands, according to a report on China's consumer market released by PwC in January.
The trend is being further reinforced by the "Big Market for All: Export to China" initiative launched by the Ministry of Commerce, featuring more than 100 dedicated events this year designed to help overseas suppliers connect with Chinese buyers and bring a wider range of high-quality foreign products and services into the Chinese market.
Supachai Junkeiat, president of TCP China, the Thai conglomerate behind the energy drink brand Red Bull, said:"We have always been optimistic about the upgrade potential of China's supersized consumer market. Going forward, we will continue to closely track the country's consumption trends and leverage product innovation to precisely meet new demands for consumption upgrades."
Hainan province will step up efforts to link China with the global economy over the next five years, officials said on Friday, as the island's free trade port enters a new phase following the launch of island-wide special customs operations.
At a State Council Information Office news conference in Haikou, Governor Liu Xiaoming outlined the province's strategy for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), describing it as a pivotal stage in advancing the Hainan Free Trade Port. The new phase follows the launch of island-wide special customs operations on Dec 18, 2025, marking the completion of the FTP's initial development framework.
To support this shift, Hainan will expand institutional opening-up by aligning with international trade rules and standards under frameworks including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement, while advancing the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 upgrade, Liu said.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), Hainan's goods and services trade each grew at an average annual rate of more than 20 percent. For the next five years, the province targets average annual growth of about 10 percent in goods trade and 20 percent in services trade, along with 10 percent annual growth in the actual use of foreign capital.
These policies are already translating into business activity on the ground.
A case in point is the coffee industry. On Dec 18, a batch of blended coffee beans produced by Charoen Pokphand Group (Hainan) Xinglong Coffee Industry Development Co, a Sino-Thai joint venture in Wanning, was shipped from Qionghai Boao International Airport to Beijing.
The beans, sourced from Colombia, were roasted, blended and processed at the company's automated facility in Xinglong Coffee Valley, achieving a value increase of more than 30 percent. The shipment became the first product from Wanning to qualify for the value-added tariff exemption policy for domestic sales.
Earlier, the company began operating under a new model — importing raw materials and exporting finished products. In its first shipment to Australia, it saved 8 percent in import tariffs and 13 percent in value-added tax on coffee beans.
"The most profound change comes from institutional opening," said Ye Jian, general manager of the joint venture. "Hainan is becoming a key node in the global coffee supply chain."
Ye said the province's proximity to Southeast Asian coffee-producing countries, combined with access to China's vast consumer market, gives it a unique advantage. Special customs operations, he added, are lowering costs, improving supply chain efficiency and attracting talent, helping shift Hainan's role from a raw material gateway to a global processing hub.
"A cup of Xinglong coffee might use beans from Colombia, be processed in Hainan and sold in Australia — that's a vivid example of how the Hainan FTP connects China with the world," he said.
Policy support has expanded in tandem. Ahead of the launch of special customs operations, Hainan widened its zero-tariff raw materials list to about 6,600 items, adding unroasted coffee beans and 296 others on Feb 1, 2025. By the end of 2025, the number of eligible companies rose by more than 11,000.
chenbowen@chinadaily.com.cn
Hainan province will focus on dismantling cross-border barriers to goods and capital flows and building itself into a more open hub for international talent during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), which officials on Friday described as pivotal for the Hainan Free Trade Port.
At a State Council Information Office news conference in Haikou, Hainan Governor Liu Xiaoming said the province aims to reduce restrictions further, market investing in the FTP as a brand, expand digital and offshore trade, steadily open up the financial sector, establish more liberal shipping rules, and create mechanisms for secure, efficient cross-border data flows.
According to Liu, the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) saw rapid development in Hainan, with goods and services trade each growing at an average annual rate of over 20 percent. The multi-function free trade accounts logged more than 350 billion yuan ($51.2 billion) in transactions. China's first seventh-freedom traffic rights route, which allows an airline to operate flights between two foreign countries without returning to its home country, began operating in Sanya, and a negative list for cross-border data flows was implemented.
The "One Million Talents Enter Hainan" campaign, which launched in 2018 and aims to conclude by Dec 31, 2025, was completed one month ahead of schedule. The province has maintained the country's most liberal visa-free entry policy, with citizens from 86 countries currently able to enter without a visa. And the number of foreign workers in Hainan rose by 90 percent.
During the upcoming five years, Hainan plans to implement the "One Million Elite Talents Develop Hainan" initiative, continue to ease entry and exit rules, deepen talent development system reforms, and build itself into an island of innovation and technology.
Editor's Note: The national conference on the service sector, held in Beijing on April 7 and 8, highlighted China's push toward high-quality development in services. The human dimension plays a vital role in service competitiveness. Two experts share their views with China Daily's Li Huixian and Li Wei.
High-quality services align with China's development
The national conference on the service sector comes at a critical juncture. Its proposals aim to advance producer services toward greater specialization and higher positions in the value chain. At the same time, they emphasize fostering high-quality, diverse and accessible consumer services.
These priorities align well with the characteristics and needs of China's current stage of development. This perspective considers the country's industrial structure, as China is in the middle to late stages of industrialization.
Currently, China ranks second globally in total services trade, services imports also rank second globally. However, its services exports rank fifth, still lagging behind leading service economies.
To cultivate stronger "China Service" brands, it is essential to further open up China's service sector. This requires attracting large numbers of leading foreign service enterprises by leveraging the country's sound business environment. Encouraging coordinated development between domestic and foreign players and boosting domestic competitiveness through the introduction of external competitors can drive the growth of China's service sector, particularly high-end service brands.
A similar approach can be used to appropriately increase the import of urgently needed services. This would enhance domestic service consumption and increase public awareness and willingness to spend on high-end service brands.
Several key measures are required for the high-quality development of the domestic service sector. First, the traditional mindset that prioritizes goods trade over services trade needs to change. During downturn in goods trade, expanding services trade can mitigate associated risks and stabilize growth. Furthermore, administrative barriers such as strict licensing and approval requirements and restrictive regulations in the service sector should be removed to promote greater openness, particularly in professional services such as finance, education and healthcare.
Enterprises should focus on integrating services more deeply into manufacturing to boost the added value of services. For example, in addition to generating profit from selling electric vehicles, EV makers can strengthen brand management and offer integrated service solutions to increase the share of service-based income. Enhancing the role of services in manufacturing value added will also help China move up the medium-to-high end of the global value chain.
With China's per capita GDP surpassing $12,000, people's demand for a higher quality of life is growing steadily. Meeting these expectations requires support from high-end consumer services. Thus, initiatives aimed at expanding capacity and upgrading quality in the service sector align with the current goal of boosting consumption. Enhancing quality of life is fundamental to expanding consumption.
Wang Jun is a professor and the dean of the Institute of International Economic and Trade Research, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.
The human edge of the service economy
China's service sector is transitioning from expansion in scale to a new stage defined by quality and efficiency. In the service sector, competitiveness hinges on people. What matters most is human interaction, attentiveness, emotional connection and the quality of service encounters. These are elements through which cultural and tourism services create their greatest value. Greater attention should be given to service providers and cultural practitioners, as they shape how services are perceived, experienced and remembered.
Human warmth cannot be easily replicated by technology. It enables genuine interaction between people — locals and visitors, hosts and guests — and fosters a mutual value creation in which both sides benefit. In this sense, people are not only service providers and consumers, but also the source of humanistic value and cultural confidence. Ultimately, the quality of service depends on authentic human connection.
Beyond emotional engagement, a strong "sense of place" is another key driver of competitiveness. The emphasis of the conference on lifestyle-oriented services highlights the need for higher-quality and more diverse offerings. This requires moving beyond hardware upgrades and focusing instead on service spaces and scenarios. Spaces should not be treated as neutral containers, but as localized environments that carry culture and memory, allowing services to be rooted in place rather than overly standardized.
Hainan province offers a compelling example. As a major international tourism destination, its competitiveness will remain superficial if it relies only on sunshine, beaches and luxury hotels. By integrating local elements — such as Li brocade, intangible cultural heritage, and regional dialect narratives — into the service ecosystem, Hainan's tourism sector can create a distinctive hard-to-replicate identity.
More broadly, services themselves are becoming a brand in their own right. Just as "Made in China" stands for manufacturing strength, "Chinese services" can evolve into a globally recognized brand. People-centered service and the idea of shared experiences between hosts and guests can create a strong international appeal. This not only enhances China's attractiveness in global engagement, but also helps communicate a clearer and more tangible national image, reinforcing cultural confidence through everyday interactions.
The cultural and tourism sector is a natural integrator within the service industry. Though rooted in life services, it links multiple parts of the value chain and drives broader upgrading. A single tourism experience spans transport, accommodation, catering, retail and entertainment, underscoring the interconnectivity of different services.
When effectively developed, cultural and tourism services can catalyze coordinated improvements across related sectors in real-world settings. Even a small intangible cultural heritage workshop can combine cultural experiences, product sales, social interaction, and content dissemination. This kind of integration multiplies service value. As an entry point, culture and tourism can trigger targeted breakthroughs that ripple across the wider service chain, raising both quality and efficiency at the system level.
Sun Jiuxia is a professor at the School of Tourism Management, Sun Yat-sen University.
The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
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When 24-year-old Li Xinyue was scrolling through RedNote on a lazy weekend afternoon, a vintage-looking moisturizing cream stopped her thumb as she scrolled. The tin was flat, palm-sized and round, decorated with bold red, black and gold flower motifs that whispered old-world elegance.
Curious, she clicked through the reviews, and later that day, discovered the same cream tucked in her grandmother's drawer.
"I couldn't believe it," Li said. "It felt like something from her generation suddenly became mine."
"She told me it's affordable, it works and its scent carries memories," Li added. "It's like a tiny time machine in a tin."
That sense of time-warp nostalgia is exactly what has made Wan Zi Qian Hong a social media sensation. The heritage brand — its name translates poetically to "a riot of colors" — was founded in 1911 by Liu Kaiping. After Liu's untimely passing, his younger brother moved the business from Shenyang, Liaoning province, to Tianjin to ensure its survival.
Fast-forward to the 1970s and 1980s, and the brand was selling 200 million of its signature metal tins each year. By the 1990s, however, it quietly faded from daily life — until it was blown back into the spotlight by the perfect storm of the guochao trend, or Chinachic, social media and meme culture.
"Our big comeback was in 2023," said Kuang Huaqin, one of the brand's operators. "Our first livestream sold 250,000 units in three hours. People were even telling us to turn off late-shipping compensation, because they worried we couldn't keep up."
The price doesn't hurt either: three 40-gram tins for just 9.9 yuan ($1.44).
Social media doesn't just sell products — it turns them into culture. On Douyin and RedNote, young users began sharing memes about the cream — from realizing after "half a lifetime" that the tin opens by twisting, not prying, to nicknaming the brand tainai (great grandma).
Even the brand's factory itself became an online sensation. Short videos showing workers hand-filling the tins with the creamy balm racked up millions of views. People in the comments called the process "hypnotically smooth" and "almost healing to watch".
"You know this cream works by looking at the hands of the workers," one comment read, implying that even the workers' hands looked smooth and healthy from handling the cream day after day.
Zhu Zhu, a beauty reviewer, agreed. "It's fun, nostalgic and meme-worthy. People aren't just buying a cream; they're buying a story and a connection to history. I've even seen friends tag their grandparents in posts about it."
"Many people left me messages, saying that the cream leaves your skin feeling comfortable throughout the day — it's simple, reliable and effective," she added.
"Honestly, to see something so nostalgic become genuinely cool again — watching the factory videos go viral and people comment on how smooth and healing it looks — shows that heritage can become a whole aesthetic experience, not just a product. It's like your grandma just became the influencer you've been following all along," she said.
The engagement goes beyond online jokes. Wan Zi Qian Hong listens to its fans, adjusting formulas based on social-media feedback. If the formula is too oily, the company changes it. Want a portable version? They deliver sachets. Requests for facial skin care? They launch creams infused with squalane oil.
"Our consumers are mostly aged 14 to 25," Kuang, the brand operator, said. "They want hydration, light textures and convenience, and they want to be heard. So we adapt fast. If they ask for it, we try to make it happen."
While embracing digital trends, the brand honors its roots. The classic balm is still hand-filled to preserve texture, as product developer Li Jian said: "Machines would damage the structure. Hand-filling is slower, but it keeps the quality consistent."
Recent hits, such as a moisturizer inspired by ancient Chinese fragrance recipes — light, slightly fruity, floral fragrances with classical, literary connotations — show how the brand blends heritage with contemporary tastes.
"Young people love products with cultural depth," Kuang said. "It's not just skincare — it's storytelling."
With its sales doubling each year since 2023 and a new industrial park in Tianjin on the horizon, Wan Zi Qian Hong proves that sometimes, the future of beauty is rooted in the past.
China's Hainan Free Trade Port is drawing global investors as surging duty-free sales fuel economic growth, cementing its role as a hub for international brands, capital and tourism, said market watchers and foreign business leaders.
Their remarks came as sales under Hainan FTP's offshore duty-free scheme rose 25.7 percent year-on-year to 14.21 billion yuan ($2.06 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, following the full implementation of island-wide special customs operations in mid-December, statistics from Haikou Customs showed.
In the meantime, skincare products, electronics, alcoholic beverages and apparel were among the best-selling duty-free categories.
Analysts said that the strong first-quarter growth in duty-free sales has laid a solid foundation for consumption growth in Hainan FTP this year.
"The growing duty-free figures have brought encouraging changes to the FTP and boosted confidence in its efforts to build itself into an international tourism and consumption center," said Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.
While part of the growth was supported by the Spring Festival holiday and seasonal factors, Zhou said the overall trend in the FTP will remain positive in 2026.
The trend is also reflected in broader consumption data in China, with retail sales of consumer goods totaling 8.61 trillion yuan in the first two months, up 2.8 percent on a yearly basis, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
Jack Perry, chairman of The 48 Group Club, a London-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Sino-British business cooperation, said that Hainan FTP's combination of policy support, consumption upgrading and supply chain integration is creating new opportunities for global brands, while reinforcing China's role as a key engine of global demand and growth.
Holger Bingmann, an executive board member of the Paris-headquartered International Chamber of Commerce, shared a similar view, saying that favorable policies have brought clear benefits to businesses since the launch of island-wide special customs operations in Hainan FTP. "For multinational companies, partnering with China's strong capacity for innovation offers meaningful upside in this area," said Bingmann, stressing that in an era marked by uncertainty, openness is a source of strategic strength.
This momentum has also lifted inbound tourism. Hainan recorded nearly half a million inbound tourist visits between January and March, a year-on-year increase of over 53.1 percent, according to Hainan's provincial department of tourism, culture, radio, television and sports.
Notably, while traditional source markets such as Southeast Asia and Russia continued to grow steadily, arrivals from Europe surged. Visitor numbers from the United Kingdom rose by over 81 percent, Italy by 101.3 percent, Switzerland by nearly 99 percent, and Spain by more than 84 percent, year-on-year, respectively.
Already operating a travel retail headquarters in the Hainan FTP, Tapestry Inc, a United States-based fashion group, is well placed to tap into expanding demand in the port's duty-free and travel retail markets.
"We see Hainan as a strategic gateway to connect with global visitors, China's younger consumers and the expanding middle-income group, leveraging duty-free policies and integrated retail channels to deliver locally tailored products, enhance customer experience and deepen our presence in Hainan's evolving consumption landscape," said Joanne Crevoiserat, Tapestry's CEO. Also upbeat about the growth potential of Hainan FTP, Stephane Maquaire, president and CEO of Club Med, a Paris-based travel and lifestyle brand, said the company will further expand its customer base and product innovation in China, integrating more local cultural elements. "We will further strengthen our position in sun-and-beach offerings with new projects in Sanya, Hainan province," he said, adding that supportive policies at the free trade port and rising tourism demand have strengthened the group's confidence in expanding its presence and innovating its resort offerings in China.
Contact the writers at zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn
BEIJING -- China's government-backed consumer goods trade-in programs benefited over 60.93 million purchases in the first quarter of 2026, boosting sales of 433.17 billion yuan (about $62.84 billion), commerce ministry data showed Friday.
A total of 1.41 million subsidy applications were received for auto trade-ins, driving new vehicle sales of 228.69 billion yuan in Q1.
Under the program, about 23.21 million home appliances, including refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, air conditioners, computers and water heaters, were traded in during the period, boosting sales by 95.43 billion yuan.
A total of 36.32 million units of digital and smart products were sold under the program, driving sales of 109.05 billion yuan.
Chinese authorities have announced the renewal of the trade-in subsidy program for consumer goods in 2026 as part of the broader efforts to boost consumption, with 62.5 billion yuan in ultra-long special treasury bond funds allocated in advance to support this year's program.
Buoyed by the greater openness of the Hainan Free Trade Port, the China International Consumer Products Expo has established itself as a fast track for global goods to enter the vast Chinese market while turning an increasing number of exhibitors into long-term investors, officials and executives said on Monday.
Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Vice-Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping said that the sixth edition of the expo, which opens in Haikou, the capital of Hainan province, on April 13 and runs through April 18, will be the first major event held in Hainan since the FTP fully implemented its island-wide independent customs operations in December.
"We will leverage the FTP's policy advantages to make the expo a premier testing ground for cultivating new consumption growth drivers and promoting consumption upgrades," he said.
According to local authorities, customs operations have seen a surge in zero-tariff goods in recent times, expanding coverage to 74 percent and allowing items with 30 percent added value in Hainan to enter the mainland tariff-free.
Sheng said that the expo will bring together more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions, with international exhibits accounting for 65 percent of the total. More than 200 new products are expected to make their debut, double the number launched at last year's event.
Saravoot Yoovidhya, CEO of Thailand's TCP Group, a leading manufacturer of energy drinks and a regular attendee at the expo, said,"Although global demand is slowing, the certainty of China's market is the most important ballast in our global strategy."
Data from the Ministry of Commerce shows that China's retail sales in consumer goods — a key indicator of consumption — rose 2.8 percent in the first two months of 2026, accelerating by 1.9 percentage points from December.
Saravoot said that at the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, China's continued expansion of institutional openness and construction of a unified national market have injected strong confidence into foreign investors looking to deepen their presence and contribute to consumption upgrades.
Bateer, executive vice-governor of Hainan, said a series of "Shopping in China" promotional events will be hosted during the expo, highlighting quality export products, innovative tech items, cultural intellectual property and flagship products from time-honored enterprises. "The goal is to help premium Chinese consumer goods reach the world," he added.
Over the years, the expo has evolved from a showcase for global consumer goods into a panoramic window on the institutional opening-up of the Hainan FTP. According to the ministry, more than 70 top-tier companies have established operations in Hainan following their participation in the expo.
Bateer said that with the customs integration now fully implemented, companies can expect continued improvements in customs clearance efficiency, while exhibitors transporting their products to the expo can benefit from lower costs and more professional services.
"The zero-tariff list, which now includes more than 6,600 items, offers exhibitors new opportunities to establish production bases in Hainan, especially supply chain hubs. From Hainan, they can serve the vast mainland market and also reach Southeast Asia," he said.
"We will further ease access to foreign investment, promote the introduction of a second set of special market access measures and optimize the streamlined approval system," Bateer added.
Holger Bingmann, vice-chairman of the executive board of the International Chamber of Commerce, an organization representing companies and associations in over 170 countries, said that Hainan is entering "a new stage" of development with its combination of efficient logistics, favorable trade conditions and a welcoming business environment.
wangkeju@chinadaily.com.cn
Formula One fan Carmen Pacios flew all the way from Spain to Shanghai to watch the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix earlier this month.
Apart from experiencing the thrilling speed and exciting atmosphere at the Shanghai International Circuit, she and her family members found time to tour the city's downtown area. At an Adidas store, she immediately spotted something she wanted to buy.
"There's so much cool Chinese stuff," Pacios said.
"I saw a lot of people wearing the Adidas Chinese-style red jackets. I think they only sell them in China and I really wanted to get one."
The popular jacket was launched by the German sportswear company in 2022 exclusively for the Chinese market. With distinctive knot buttons and an upright collar it went viral online, with many influencers and celebrities wearing it in public, including some of the visiting F1 drivers such as Mercedes' George Russell.
Guo Aijie, a senior sales manager at Adidas' brand center on Shanghai's East Nanjing Road, said the Chinese-style jacket was popular with consumers of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities.
On Jan 1, several hundred people lined up in front of the store to buy the latest version.
"Our store opens at 10 am, but on New Year's Day, I was truly shocked by the number of people, most of them foreigners, waiting outside for the doors to open," said Guo. "About 1,000 units of the product were sold that day, setting a single-day sales record for the special series at the store."
The jacket represents a growing trend of foreign brands shifting from "Made in China" to "Made for China". Multinational companies have been rolling out products and designs tailored specifically for the Chinese market. This move has not only helped secure their success in China, but also provided momentum for their global growth.
The Adidas' Creation Center Shanghai (CCS) is responsible for more than 60 percent of the company's products in the Chinese market, and its first version of the jacket was released in 2022.
In a written reply to China Daily, Adidas said the center's long-term focus is on Chinese culture and the rise of guochao or China-chic trends.
Their designers turned their attention to the traditional Chinese knot button, a distinctive cultural element, to give subsequent designs of the jacket — which has become one of the brand's outstanding products — a local twist.
The company said a growing number of consumers, especially younger people, are seeking brands and products that reflect their cultural identity and have emotional connections.
"Moreover, products designed by CCS allow global consumers to appreciate the charm of Chinese culture and the beauty of the East, something the team is very proud of," said Adidas' written reply.
Lan Tian, a senior analyst at Euromonitor International, a London-based market research company, said China's consumer market has undergone structural changes in recent years, and the increased efforts to provide customized products are an inevitable choice for multinationals.
"In the past, the core appeal of the Chinese market lay in its scale and growth rate, which makes it possible to achieve rapid growth through simply launching standard products. However, as the market matures, growth now depends on segmented customer groups, differentiated scenarios, and shifts in lifestyle," explained Lan.
"China's advantages in retail infrastructure, digital capabilities, and supply chains' quick response capabilities have made it both feasible and cost-controllable for multinational companies to conduct highly localized operations," Lan said.
The Chinese market is undergoing a transition from a receiver of global products into an important market that is deeply integrated in terms of product design, sales models, and corporate values. This shift has raised overall expectations for efficiency, consumer experience, and organizational capabilities in China's consumer market.
Chewing over success
Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons is another success story when it comes to catering to the taste of Chinese consumers.
"Bagels are one of our signature products. Inspired by the traditional chewiness of bagels, the ones sold in China are also adapted to meet local consumers' preference for a softer texture," said Lu Yongchen, CEO of Tims China, the operator of Tim Hortons in China.
Since 2022, sales of the bagels have snowballed to exceed a cumulative total of 80 million units.
Products cover consumer demands for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, with offerings including multigrain bagels and bagel sandwiches. In terms of flavor, the company has also localized its products with bagels featuring ma lan tou (Kalimeris indica) and scallion ingredients, said Lu.
Since opening its first store in Shanghai in February 2019, Tims China has pursued rapid expansion and successfully went public on the Nasdaq in September 2022.
"As of Sept 30, 2025, we operate 1,030 stores across 91 cities in China. We've gradually established a brand image for coffee and heated food among consumers, with bagel products proving particularly popular,"Lu said.
From the outset, the company localized store design and menu offerings, and today 90 percent of its products are tailored for local consumers, said Lu.
"We even localized the name of Tim Hortons to Tims as Chinese consumers prefer shorter and easier pronunciations. And to better fit the Chinese market, we officially launched the Chinese name as tianhao in 2023, which literally means 'good everyday' in Chinese," Lu said.
Lan, the analyst, said: "Effective localization is not just about adding Chinese elements, but about giving the Chinese market a standalone and mature operational logic."
Ikea's inspiration
Pontus Erntell, CEO, president and chief sustainability officer of Ikea China, said over the past 28 years the company has always closely followed the evolving needs of Chinese consumers.
The Swedish home furnishings and furniture retailer tries to offer products, home solutions, and retail experiences tailored to diverse lifestyles in China, which can also be offered as a "treat" for global consumers.
"A long-term product series co-created with China, the Chinese New Year collection, was launched globally by Ikea, reflecting our confidence in China, for China, and in co-creating with China," Erntell said.
"Ikea has achieved the global debut of its Chinese New Year collections at the China International Import Expo for five consecutive years," said Erntell.
The Year of the Snake collection recorded sales of over 400,000 units from its CIIE debut through the post-Spring Festival period, and was subsequently launched in overseas markets.
Erntell said younger consumers in China are increasingly seeking ways to reinterpret traditional festivals in ways that reflect their personal lifestyles and contemporary living spaces.
At last year's CIIE, Ikea showcased around 25 new products from its Year of the Horse collection. "The collection has been launched across multiple Ikea markets worldwide," said Erntell.
"China is not only an important market for Ikea, but also a valuable environment for exploring new approaches and innovations," he added.
As China continues to advance in areas such as digital retail and lifestyle innovation, experiences gained here are increasingly informing Ikea's development in other markets.
Lyu Mei, head of strategic consulting for JLL East China, said in addition to the paradigm shifting from "China for China" to "China for the world", "the world's second-largest economy has officially become the innovation lab of global retail business".
China's leading digital supply chains and agile response capabilities are reshaping multinational companies' global operations. Lyu said China is no longer at the end of the process, but is the source of new strategies.
Cut from a new cloth
Spanish fashion retail giant Inditex, owner of brands such as Zara, is another global player exporting initiatives first introduced in China.
A global company with stores in over 90 markets and online reach in more than 200 markets, Inditex has launched a variety of collaborative products and experiences over the years, which integrate Chinese cultural elements and foster deeper connections with Chinese customers.
Eugenio Bregolat, president of Inditex China, said representative examples include collaborations with local designer brands to launch co-branded series, and partnering with renowned Chinese artists to debut global co-branded collections.
In April 2025, a collection co-branded with artist Lin Fanglu debuted in China and was simultaneously released in international markets, including Spain, the UK, Italy, Japan and South Korea.
"It is also noteworthy that since 2016, Zara has consistently launched zodiac-themed sweater collections in the Chinese market for 10 consecutive years, reinterpreting 'zodiac culture' through a modern fashion lens and establishing a significant tradition for the brand to celebrate the Chinese New Year with local customers," said Bregolat.
Inspired by China's livestreaming boom, Zara introduced "show style" livestreaming in China in November 2023. Combining the immersive feel of a fashion show with the real-time interaction of live broadcasts, it received positive market feedback. The brand later promoted the livestreaming concept in other markets, including the UK, the United States, and parts of Europe via Zara Streaming.
"These digital interactive formats have not only enriched the customer experience in the Chinese market but have also provided inspiration for other global markets. In the future, we will continue to leverage the digital ecosystem of the Chinese market to explore more cutting-edge retail experience models," said Bregolat.
These collaborations and initiatives not only demonstrate Inditex's commitment to the Chinese market but also reflect its brand philosophy of continuously enriching customer experiences through cultural dialogue and creative fusion, he added.
Lan, the senior analyst at Euromonitor International, said: "China has accumulated a wealth of repeatable practices in product iteration, channel coordination, community-based operations, and building high-quality, cost-effective models. When these experiences are applied to other emerging or even mature markets, they are effectively reshaping multinational companies' global operations. In the long run, this also means that China's voice within these companies will continue to grow, with its role evolving from simply contributing revenue to serving as an innovation incubator and testing ground."
During Shanghai's annual briefing on commerce and investment in March, Lu Shan, the city's deputy mayor, said Shanghai and China should serve as a top "training ground" for companies and brands to build their future competitiveness, where they can hone and cultivate leading product and supply chain capabilities.
"We believe that the market share of products co-developed in China will determine these companies' global market positions in the future," Lu said.
wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn
On a bright winter morning, veteran pearl farmer He Hanyong gently pried open a silver-lipped oyster. Inside, nestled against the iridescent mother-of-pearl, lay something extraordinary — not just an organic gem, but a symbol of an unlikely marriage between ecology and industry.
"Look," he whispered, carefully extracting a perfectly formed pearl that glistened under the tropical sun on a shoreline of Hainan province. "Eighteen millimeters. The water here gives them exceptional luster," He said of the pearl's size and shine.
The location of this cluster of pearl shells is anything but ordinary. It is near the discharge outlet of the Hainan Changjiang Nuclear Power Base — China's southernmost nuclear facility — where nationally protected silver-lipped pearl oysters are now thriving in waters warmed by the plant's cooling systems.
It is an unexpected sight: one of the nation's most advanced technological installations playing host to one of its most delicate traditional maritime industries.
"This area is rich in algae," said He, who is also head of the Hainan Qianzumeiji Pearl project in the Changjiang Li autonomous county, Hainan, gesturing at the clear waters.
"Silver-lipped pearl oysters need clean water with abundant nutrition. The thermal discharge zone creates perfect conditions — stable temperature, clean water, plenty of food. Just like people, they need the right environment to thrive," He added.
Pleasant surprise
As warm water is emitted from the nuclear facility, it nourishes a thriving ecosystem. Against all expectations, the waters near the plant became a sanctuary for a pearl species that had nearly vanished from the Chinese mainland's coastal waters due to industrial and aquaculture development.
"It started almost by accident," said Xu Chunsong, director of the environmental emergency department at the Hainan Nuclear Power Co. "We wanted to introduce species that could help purify water by reducing algae. We chose the silver-lipped pearl oyster. The results have been a pleasant surprise."
That understatement masks a remarkable achievement.
After more than two years of experimental cultivation, scientists and pearl farmers have not only mastered the technology of raising these sensitive mollusks in a nuclear facility's outflow waters but have created what might be a model for industrial-ecological coexistence nationwide.
The pearls themselves testify to the success of the experiment. The largest from the first phase reaches 18 millimeters in diameter, with nacre, or mother-of-pearl, so thick and the luster so brilliant that it rivals anything produced in traditional pearl farms.
"The water here nourishes them exceptionally well," said senior technical worker Chen Xian.
For the technicians who carefully extract the pearls from living oysters, the process is both science and art.
Chen demonstrated the procedure with practiced gentleness: allowing the oysters to awaken slowly in water and open naturally. "Patience is everything," he said, carefully probing for the pearl within. "We must respect the life that created this."
Yet inevitably, a question arises: Do pearls grown near a nuclear plant have radiation?
"The answer is definitely no," said Xu from the Hainan Nuclear Power Co.
"Our environmental monitoring team continuously tracks conditions around the plant, sampling both land and marine organisms for analysis. Radiation levels remain exactly the same as before the plant was built."
World-leading tech
This innovative project represents just one example of a broader transformation unfolding on the island.
After Hainan launched an island-wide special customs operation in December to position itself as a new frontier in China's further opening-up, projects like the nearby Linglong One nuclear reactor are capturing global attention.
Just several kilometers from where the pearl farmers tend their oysters, the world's first onshore commercial small modular reactor, or SMR, rises against the tropical sky. Linglong One is nearing completion, with installation 90 percent complete and core equipment undergoing adjustments.
"We are in the final stage," said Wei Zhigang, chairman of the Hainan Nuclear Power Co. "To be a pioneer, you have to innovate — and that's never easy. Linglong One took more than a decade of development."
The numbers tell part of the story: upon completion, the reactor will generate 1 billion kilowatt-hours annually, sufficient to power 526,000 households while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 880,000 metric tons — equivalent to planting 7.5 million trees.
But the true significance lies in what Linglong One represents. Designed by China National Nuclear Corp, or CNNC, with self-developed intellectual property, Linglong One is the first onshore commercial SMR to pass a safety review by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
"It's like the evolution from desktop computers to laptops," Wei said. "Traditional large reactors are like desktop computers with separate components. Linglong One is an all-in-one laptop — compact, convenient and safe. Achieving this integration required overcoming significant technical bottlenecks."
The reactor also represents China's transition from a nuclear technology follower to a leading innovator, a change in status that has drawn global attention.
More than 1,000 visitors from almost 90 countries and regions have traveled to Hainan to inspect the reactor.
They include Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the IAEA, and delegations from the French Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority and the Ghana Energy Commission. Each came seeking insight into the technology that may help shape the future of global energy.
"We believe Linglong One will create miracles — whether in construction or investment," Wei said.
CNNC's Song Danrong, chief designer of Linglong One, sees the reactor as the product of the long-term development and growth of China's nuclear industry.
"Built on more than 30 years of nuclear research, design, construction, and operational experience, Linglong One represents the maturation of China's nuclear capabilities," Song said.
"When operational, it will help the Hainan Changjiang Nuclear Power Base form a pattern we call 'two dragons soaring together' — with second-generation improved reactors, third-generation Hualong One units, and the small modular reactor Linglong One all operating side by side."
Linglong One plans to commence commercial operation this year.
Powering AI
By next year, nuclear energy is expected to account for more than 50 percent of Hainan's power mix, one of the highest proportions among regions in the world.
Just as important is the vision emerging for nuclear energy's role in powering the digital future. As artificial intelligence triggers unprecedented global demand for computing power, the ultimate constraint has become clear: the need for vast, stable electricity supplies.
Tech giants like Microsoft and Google are actively exploring small modular reactors to power AI data centers.
"We are seeing strong demand from major power users like computing centers," Wei said.
"One of the key advantages of SMRs is their flexible placement. We can deploy them right where computing power is needed, enabling close load-matching. The international focus on SMRs is precisely because they are seen as a crucial power source for future computing needs. The endpoint of computing power is electricity."
China is positioning itself at the forefront of this convergence. Wei's company is exploring building a nuclear-powered zero-carbon industrial park in Hainan's Changjiang, with the aim of creating a "nuclear energy plus computing power" pilot zone to help solve one of the most pressing challenges the world faces in applying AI.
The vision extends even further.
"SMRs can also be installed on ships in the future, creating movable power plants — true mobile power banks," Wei said. "They can go wherever needed, maximizing our ability to meet diverse client demands."
Future being written
The pearl cultivation project near a nuclear plant is just a glimpse of China's broader innovation landscape in ecological economy. It is not an isolated curiosity, but evidence that technology and nature — when properly integrated — can achieve more together than apart, experts said.
Innovations such as growing rubber on saline land, raising crabs in deserts and herding sheep under solar panels are increasingly common in places such as the Xinjiang Uygur and Ningxia Hui autonomous regions and Gansu and Qinghai provinces.
Wang Shancheng, head of the department of resource conservation and environmental protection at the National Development and Reform Commission, said China's green development has achieved remarkable milestones that have captured global attention. The country has vigorously fostered green industries while driving the green and low-carbon transformation of traditional industries.
"The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period marks a critical phase in advancing high-quality economic and social development," Wang said.
"Facing new circumstances and tasks, it is essential to focus on achieving breakthroughs in four key areas: facilitating the green transformation of development models, advancing green technological innovation, strengthening policy mechanisms for low-carbon development, and enhancing international cooperation in green development."
Standing at the discharge outlet, and watching technicians carefully return oysters to the water after pearl extraction, one can witness the importance of the ecological initiatives. These mollusks, which nearly disappeared from Chinese mainland coastal waters, have found refuge in the most unexpected place. The nuclear plant that might have been their enemy became their savior.
For those familiar with China's ecological experiments, the future is already being written, with technology and nature working together.
Contact the writers at masi@chinadaily.com.cn
Hainan Free Trade Port's duty-free sales soared in the first two months, driven by a bustling tourism season and recent policy expansions that underscore its accelerating evolution into a global tourism and consumption hub, experts said.
Offshore duty-free purchases from January through February reached 10.59 billion yuan ($1.54 billion), a 25.9 percent increase year-on-year. The number of shoppers grew 16.6 percent to 1.28 million, while the volume of items sold rose 9.9 percent to 8.01 million units, according to Haikou Customs.
The surge follows the official launch of island-wide customs operations in the FTP on Dec 18, with officials saying the sales boom reflects the success of a series of moves to promote the FTP's opening-up.
For example, several adjustments to the offshore duty-free policy that took effect on Nov 1 have been widely seen as critical. Apart from an expansion of eligible duty-free product categories — from 45 to 47 — an adjusted offshore duty-free policy facilitated shopping for locals, as the new measures bring greater convenience to eligible Hainan island residents by significantly relaxing purchase restrictions on a variety of "instant purchase and instant pickup" duty-free goods.
Duty-free retailers are ramping up efforts to cash in on the opportunities brought by the consumption uptrend. Haikou International Duty Free City, operated by China Duty Free Group, has launched 17 new outlets since Jan 17. Haikou Meilan Airport Duty Free Shop has completed a 3,722-square-meter upgrade so far, adding 27 new outlets.
"I can now buy more types of offshore duty-free goods. Things like pet supplies and musical instruments, which were not available before, can now be purchased, and the prices are very favorable," said Li Huan, a tourist from Beijing.
The growing appeal extends to international visitors. Alice Ivanov, a tourist from Russia, praised the wide selection of international brands at China Duty Free Group's Sanya International Duty-Free City.
The number of foreign tourists peaked during the Spring Festival holiday period, with visitors arriving from Russia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. During the nine-day holiday in February, the province welcomed 12.32 million visitors, a 28.9 percent year-on-year increase, generating 18.37 billion yuan in tourism revenue.
The momentum is expected to continue with events like the sixth CDF Watch Carnival, running from March 14 to April 26. Featuring over 70 global brands and exclusive product launches, the event is part of a broader strategy to use first-store and exclusive-product offerings to attract high-end consumers.
According to the local tourism authority, total tourist arrivals in Hainan reached 106 million in 2025, a 9.1 percent increase on a yearly basis, with spending up 10.5 percent to 225.43 billion yuan. Inbound overnight visitors surged 35.2 percent to over 1.5 million.
Liu Kun, deputy general manager of China Tourism Group, said,"Duty-free shopping is one of Hainan's marvelous credentials, and a key pillar in building the island into an international tourism and consumption destination."
Just two months after launching island-wide special customs operations, Hainan province is reporting a sharp rise in international arrivals and duty-free spending during the Spring Festival holiday, early evidence of how China's free trade port policies are reshaping the island into a global tourism and consumption hub.
Border inspection agencies processed more than 86,000 exit and entry trips between Feb 15 and Monday, a 43.3 percent increase from the same holiday period last year, according to the Haikou General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection. Travelers from Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Kazakhstan and Singapore were among the leading sources of inbound visitors.
The number of visitors flying to Sanya on non-Chinese passports increased more than fourfold, with arrivals from Australia and Spain each rising more than fourfold, according to travel platform Qunar. International arrivals in Haikou by air doubled.
The growth reflects Hainan's expanded visa-free policies, part of China's broader push to develop the island into a globally connected free trade port. The measures include visa-free entry for nationals of 86 countries, as well as special arrangements such as a 144-hour visa-free entry for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong and Macao and a 15-day visa-free entry for cruise tour groups.
To better serve international travelers, Hainan's three major airports have launched 24-hour multilingual inquiry hotlines. At popular attractions such as Sanya's Wuzhizhou Island scenic area, multilingual service posts staffed by Russian — and English-speaking volunteers assist visitors with tour routes and ticketing.
"Customs clearance was very convenient," said Piotrowski Robert, a Polish traveler arriving in Sanya on his first visit to China.
Yaroslava Pateychuk, a tourist from Belarus, cited both hospitality and improved connectivity. New weekly direct flights between Minsk and Sanya have made travel easier, while friendly locals enhanced her experience, she said.
Beyond beaches, foreign visitors are increasingly seeking cultural and wellness experiences, reflecting the island's evolving tourism offerings. Traditional Chinese medicine health tourism has gained popularity, particularly among Russian visitors. Acupuncture and cupping services are widely available in Sanya's Dadonghai scenic area, where many clinics feature Russian-language signage.
Cultural programming has also expanded. The Hainan Ocean Paradise Resort, located in Lingshui Li autonomous county, is hosting an international new year carnival from Feb 7 to March 3.
"This is by no means a simple introduction to performances," said Liu Xiaoou, chairman of the resort. "In this first year following the island-wide special customs operations, it serves as a 'window demonstration', conveying to tourists Hainan's new image as open, inclusive and connected to the world."
The surge in visitor numbers has translated into strong duty-free sales, a key pillar of Hainan's free trade port development. From Feb 15 to 18, Haikou's offshore duty-free stores recorded total sales of 428 million yuan ($62 million). China Duty Free Group's Haikou International Duty-Free City accounted for 233 million yuan, up 24.6 percent year-on-year.
In Sanya, daily offshore duty-free sales exceeded 200 million yuan from Feb 15 to Monday. The Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex reported customer traffic of more than 80,000 for three consecutive days from the first day of Chinese New Year.
Shopping at duty-free stores before departure has become a hallmark of the holiday experience. Duan Nanlan, sales department director at the complex, said wait times at popular brand counters exceeded 30 minutes during peak hours.
