A: MOFCOM has actively played the leading role in the Inter-Ministerial Joint Conference on FTZs, and worked with local governments and departments to promptly identify and summarize institutional innovations in the FTZs. These well-tested and precisely-targeted innovation outcomes with manageable risks are  being replicated and rolled out nationwide. To date, 485 institutional innovation outcomes have been replicated at the national level in total, giving a strong boost to comprehensive reforms and high-standard opening-up.

The sixth batch of “Best Practice Cases” MOFCOM recently issued and promoted consists of  29 cases, mainly covering trade facilitation, free flow of production factors, construction of opening-up corridors, high-quality industrial development, and government function transformation. They reflect new achievements and experiences of the FTZs in conducting pioneering, integrated, and differentiated explorations. They have the following four characteristics:

First, emphasizing pioneering innovation. The FTZs have taken the lead in improving foundational institutional frameworks, generating a series of pioneering institutional innovation outcomes. For example, the FTZs in Shanghai, Tianjin, and Beijing established secure and efficient cross-border data flow systems and formulated negative lists for cross-border data transfer management, accumulating new experience for establishing a robust data governance framework.

Second, highlighting regional distinctiveness. Leveraging strategic positioning and geographical advantages, the FTZs have deepened differentiated explorations, producing innovative outcomes that can be referenced by similar regions. For instance, Guangxi FTZ implemented expedited customs inspection procedures for cross-border vehicles at border ports, while Heilongjiang FTZ introduced the one certificate for dual-track compliance system for international hazardous goods road transport, significantly enhancing cross-border transport facilitation in border areas.

Third, focusing on industrial development. The FTZs have targeted critical links or entire value chains of industries to explore institutional frameworks compatible with new quality productive forces, yielding a series of systematic and integrated institutional innovation outcomes. For example, Hainan FTZ innovated its integrated marine tourism services, established mechanisms for high-quality leisure fisheries development, and built a systematic and integrated institutional innovation system for related industries.

Fourth, emphasizing coordination and synergy. The FTZs have strengthened cross-departmental and cross-regional cooperation, and enhanced coordination on reform, generating coordinated innovation outcomes. For example, the FTZs along the Yangtze River explored coordinated logistics channel development models, while those in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region implemented bonded display and trading of imported cultural artworks across customs districts. These initiatives have set an example for advancing the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, playing a significant role in major national strategies.

Moving forward, MOFCOM will guide local governments to draw on these “Best Practice Cases” in line with their conditions and continue supporting the FTZs in further exploring reform. This will give rise to more replicable and scalable high-quality institutional innovations, further unleashing the “FTZ dividend.”