CICPE 2026 at Hainan FTP, China, records highest international participation

Haikou (ANTARA) - The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), the first major international event since the launch of island-wide special customs operations at Hainan’s Free Trade Port (FTP), recorded unprecedented international participation this week.

At this year’s expo, international products accounted for 65% of the total exhibited items, with more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions taking part, according to data released in the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, a media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency.

According to Zeng Rong, chief economist at Hainan Province’s international economic development bureau, around 70% of the cruise ships displayed at the expo’s sub-venue in Sanya, Hainan, came from international brands.

At CICPE 2026, many leading MCN agencies and top e-commerce platforms conducted direct procurement and live-streamed online sales at the event site. To facilitate the sale of exhibited goods, a buyer service centre was established for the first time, utilising FTP preferential policies.

“Through this expo, we aim to bring high-quality products from around the world to China and attract more international brands to make their global debuts here,” said Zeng.

In addition to the buyer service centre, local customs authorities introduced 16 supportive measures for the expo, covering the handling of exhibited goods, regulatory services, and simplified procedures. An enhanced departure tax refund policy was also announced for overseas visitors.

“The institutional mechanisms supporting CICPE continue to improve, backed by Hainan’s FTP through increasingly in-depth reforms,” said Kuang Xianming, vice president of the China Institute for Reform and Development.

Kuang emphasised that the expo’s effectiveness will further enhance with Hainan’s expanding openness, adding that Hainan’s FTP “has vast development potential and promising prospects”.

Hainan’s FTP launched island-wide special customs operations in December 2025, enabling the free flow of goods across the island. In the 100 days since, the port has exempted import duties worth 271 million yuan (1 yuan = Rp2,514), added 70,100 new businesses, and seen a 30% increase in foreign company registrations, according to local customs.