Volume 3 · Issue 3 (2026)
A Study on the Landscape of People's Livelihood in Hainan after the Integrated Customs Operations from a Big Data Perspective
Darun Yang, Airu Feng
Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology, Haikou, Hainan, China
Abstract: On December 18, 2025, the integrated customs operations of the entire Hainan Free Trade Port were officially launched, marking a historic leap for Hainan from a ‘policy testing ground’ to a ‘mature institution phase’. From a big data perspective, this paper systematically analyzes the multidimensional changes in the lives of Hainan's residents post-integrated customs operations. The research finds that the impact of the integrated customs operations is not a unidirectional ‘universal dividend’, but rather a landscape full of tension and disparity: the ‘zero-tariff’ policy on daily consumer goods has catalyzed a fundamental shift in shopping patterns for island residents, yet it also faces tests of commercial sustainability; the continued boom in offshore duty-free sales and the explosive growth of visa-free inbound tourists have reshaped spatial interactions and identity perceptions between local residents and external consumers; the profound industrial restructuring towards high-tech and the ‘Five Directions for Strength’ has both created new employment opportunities and forced an upgrade of labor skills; the expansion of educational degree supply and the deployment of high-quality medical resources to grassroots levels are narrowing the geographical gap in access to public services. This paper argues that post-integrated customs operations, Hainan is undergoing a crucial transition from being ‘policy dividend-driven’ to ‘institutional advantage-converting’. The ultimate quality of people's lives depends on the deep-seated alignment between the people-centric design of policies and the sophistication of governance capacity.
Keywords: Hainan Free Trade Port; Integrated Customs Operations; People's Livelihood; Big Data Perspective; Public Well-being
References
[1]
China National Radio (CNR). Start of the Year, Start of Work, New Chapter | Hainan's ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ Outline Implemented. 2026-03-03. https://www.sohu.com/a/992087466_362042.
[2]
China Business Network (CBN). Government Report Mentions Hainan Free Trade Port in Two Places. 2026-03-05.
[3]
Hinews.cn. How to Develop in the Next Five Years? Press Conference on Hainan's ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ Outline Held. 2026-03-03. http://syipb.sanya.gov.cn/tzcjjsite/zxzx/202603/85e01ec702b245e3918e26a5a0b55781.shtml
[4]
People's Daily Online (Hainan Channel). Hainan Releases ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ Outline: Anchoring on the New Starting Point of Integrated Customs Operations to Ensure Modernization Leads the Nation. 2026-03-02. http://hi.people.com.cn/n2/2026/0302/c231190-41512841.html
[5]
Hainan Daily. Why Did Two Key Press Conferences During the National Two Sessions Both Mention Hainan Free Trade Port? 2026-03-05. http://hi.people.com.cn/n2/2026/0305/c231190-41515305.html
[6]
The Paper. Why Did Two Key Press Conferences During the National Two Sessions Both Mention Hainan Free Trade Port? 2026-03-05. https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_32703314.
[7]
People's Daily Online (Hainan Channel). Hainan: Focusing on Institutional Integration and Innovation to Build a High-Standard Free Trade Port. 2026-03-02. http://hi.people.com.cn/BIG5/n2/2026/0302/c231190-41512843.html
[8]
China City News. ‘Zero-Tariff’ Benefits Thousands of Households, Visa-Free Visitors Crowd the Island. 2026-03-02. https://www.zgcsb.com/news/shenDuBaoDao/2026-03/02/a_653901.html
[9]
China News Service (Hainan). Hainan Official: Free Trade Port More Attractive to Domestic and Foreign Tourists Post-Integrated Customs Operations. 2026-02-27. http://www.hi.chinanews.com.cn/hnnew/2026-02-27/737031.html
[10]
DRCnet. Hainan Free Trade Port: Continuously Conducting High-Standard Trade Liberalization Stress Tests. 2026-03-02. https://d.drcnet.com.cn/?chnid=6823&leafid=26601&docid=8093695&uid=02&version=finance.
[11]
Wu Bang, Xiong Ziheng. Hainan Free Trade Port Officially Launches Island-Wide Integrated Customs Operations. Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, 2025-12-19 A01. DOI:10.28776/n.cnki.nsztq.2025.011669.
Download PDF