The Global Free Trade Ports Development Forum took place in Boao, Hainan, on March 24. It was actually part of the 2026 Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference, with a focus on Hainan. The event drew nearly 400 people from more than 20 countries and regions, including government officials, reps from international organizations, top experts and scholars, and senior execs from multinational companies. More than ten delegations from overseas free trade zones and ports also joined in.

The forum’s theme was “Free Trade Ports: Opportunities and Missions as Gateways for Opening Up.” Its main discussions centered on how the world’s geopolitical picture is changing and the trend toward deeper international openness. The goal was to clarify what opening up really means in today’s world and what role free trade ports can play. Speakers also talked about ways to work together—and the hurdles to overcome—in today’s tricky geopolitical climate, and explored how free trade ports around the world can team up and make the most of each other’s strengths in trade and the economy.