Hainan Daily Press Group and Malaysia's Nanyang Siang Pau Launch ASEAN Investment Survey

Haikou, China, (ANTARA/PRNewswire) - News article from Hainan International Media Center: More than 70% of surveyed ASEAN companies acknowledge Hainan’s strategic role as a “transit platform or re-export hub” for accessing the mainland China market. This is stated in a joint report released last Friday, marking the 100th day of the special customs system implemented across the island by the Hainan Free Trade Port (Hainan FTP), which begins on 18 December 2025. As benefits from the special customs system policies accrue, interest from ASEAN companies in investing in Hainan continues to rise. The report serves as a reference on the perspectives of ASEAN companies seeking to deepen economic and trade cooperation between Hainan and ASEAN, while helping Hainan establish its position as an important base for Chinese companies expanding overseas and ASEAN companies entering the Chinese market. The survey was conducted by Hainan Daily Press Group and the Malaysian financial media outlet Nanyang Siang Pau, which has been established for over a century, through the Hainan International Media Center (HIMC) ASEAN Liaison Center. The survey combined online questionnaires with field research in November 2025. In addition to involving 106 companies in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Laos—including SMEs, startups, and professional investment institutions in sectors such as manufacturing, trade and logistics, services, and the digital economy—the report shows that ASEAN business actors have shifted from assessments based on “policy attractiveness” to comprehensive evaluations of “institutional operational feasibility.” Companies now view the Hainan FTP as an “institutional project,” rather than merely an industrial zone or tax haven. Based on the survey rankings, “financial support and facilitation” is the primary expectation regarding government support, followed by “legal certainty and market climate,” as well as “policy interpretation and guidance.” The survey also indicates that ASEAN companies expect Hainan to serve as a “buffer zone” and “interface zone” that provides operational guidance through concrete case studies and scenario-based approaches, including on business establishment, domestic market access, and regulatory compliance risk management.