On Aug 24, the prestigious Spanish newspaper El Mundo published a feature article, focusing on the efforts of Spanish companies to establish an early presence in the Hainan Free Trade Port.

Screenshot of the report by El Mundo

The article mentioned that China is turning the tropical island of Hainan into a massive economic experiment, with the aim of developing it into a hub comparable to Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai. Spanish companies are seeking to leverage this emerging gateway to gain access to the vast Chinese market.

According to the article, following Hainan Governor Liu Xiaoming's visit to Spain in June 2025, a team led by Antonio Miguel Carmona, president of the Spain-China Friendship Association, established a nongovernmental trade promotion representative office in Hainan with the support of the Hainan provincial government. The office is now serving as a bridge between Spanish businesses and the Hainan Free Trade Port. It is also the first institution in Europe to establish such a cooperation platform in Hainan, with the aim of facilitating investment and helping Spanish products to enter the Chinese market.

The office has signed cooperation agreements with 32 Spanish companies. Some plan to invest in Hainan, while others hope to sell their products in the Chinese market through Hainan.

Carmona said that tourism companies currently show the strongest interests for cooperation. Tourism is well positioned as one of the pillar industries envisioned for Hainan's new economic model: Hainan is both a gateway for overseas goods and capital to enter China and is also a major vacation and consumption destination for China and neighboring countries in Asia.

The article noted that Hainan has become a platform for a series of important political and business exchanges between China and Spain.