About 400 delegates from 29 cities across 12 Asia-Pacific countries gathered in Haikou, Hainan province, for the 2026 United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific Council Meeting, China Daily reported. The three-day event brought together representatives from 17 Chinese member cities to share local governance experience and advance practical regional cooperation.
Haikou Council Meeting Opens Amid Regional Trade Expansion
The opening ceremony and main forum took place on Thursday, drawing city officials, consuls, and business representatives to Hainan province. Lu Xiangdong, vice-president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, told delegates that the Asia-Pacific region must deepen mutual trust and strengthen cooperation amid international turbulence. He added that local governments carry significant responsibility for contributing to regional stability.
Zhang Yong, mayor of Haikou, said in his opening address that the city is actively linking Asia-Pacific resources with higher-level opening-up. Haikou aims to use the UCLG Asia-Pacific Council platform to deepen practical alignment in green and low-carbon development, smart city governance, and blue economy cooperation.
ASEAN Drives Trade Growth Through Free Port Policies
According to China Daily, ASEAN has remained Haikou’s largest trading partner, with total goods imports and exports reaching 16.093 billion yuan ($2.42 billion) in the first half of 2026—a 173.6 percent increase year-on-year.
This trade expansion relies on the policy advantages of the Hainan Free Trade Port and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership rules. A specific cooperation model is taking shape: ASEAN raw materials enter Hainan island, undergo value-added processing in Haikou, and then radiate to the domestic market while selling back to the broader Asia-Pacific region.
| Indicator | Metric |
|---|---|
| Total Delegates Attending | About 400 |
| Participating Cities | 29 cities across 12 countries |
| Year-on-Year Trade Growth | 173.6 percent |
Visa-Free Access and Direct Flights Spur Tourism Exchanges
Enhanced logistical connections are running parallel to the region’s trade growth. Driven by bilateral mutual visa exemption arrangements and visa-free policies for 88 countries, travel and personnel flows between ASEAN and Haikou have picked up speed. Haikou has opened direct flights to major ASEAN hubs, including Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur.
Tourism cooperation is expanding beyond simple visitor exchanges into coastal cultural tourism, health and medical care, conferences, and study tours. Iv Sokhom, Cambodian consul general in Haikou, stated that Cambodia holds strong cooperation potential in agriculture and agricultural product processing, tourism and hotels, logistics, warehousing, and green energy. He encouraged ASEAN investors to visit Haikou and welcomed Haikou enterprises to explore processing projects in Cambodia.
Haikou Signs Agreement to Build Ties with Male
Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, secretary-general of UCLG Asia-Pacific, noted that free trade port policies only generate tangible development results when implemented in specific scenarios like ports, industrial parks, and markets, supported by local government action in land use, approvals, public utilities, labor, and community trust.
During the meeting, Haikou signed a letter of intent to establish friendship city relations with Male, Maldives, with both sides committing to cooperation in commerce, agriculture, education, and tourism. A cooperation memorandum was formally entered into by the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone Management Committee alongside the Serbia and China Belt and Road Culture and Economic Development Association and the Subotica Free Zone Administration of Serbia.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Haikou Council Meeting
When did the 2026 UCLG Asia-Pacific Council Meeting take place?
The council meeting was held from Wednesday to Friday in Haikou, Hainan province, with the opening ceremony and main forum taking place on Thursday.
Who attended the regional gathering in Haikou?
Approximately 400 delegates from 29 cities in 12 Asia-Pacific countries attended, including representatives from 17 Chinese member cities.
What new agreements were finalized during the event?
Haikou signed a letter of intent to establish friendship city relations with Male, Maldives, while the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone Management Committee signed a cooperation memorandum with Serbian administrators and trade associations.
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