The World Free Zone Organization (World FZO) chose to set up its Asia-Pacific 
headquarters in Haikou, which is one of the construction projects of Hainan 
pilot free trade zone (FTZ) (the third batch). The Asia-Pacific headquarters of 
World FZO is to be located at the zone for headquarters in the Jiangdong New 
Area, Haikou. 

Registered in Geneva and headquartered in Dubai, the World Free Zone 
Organization (World FZO) has a profound global impact. The World FZO was 
launched by 14 FTZs including Shanghai Free Trade Zone and Dubai Airport Free 
Zone. The World FZO includes members from 100-odd countries and regions, and 
has established long-term and stable cooperation with many important 
international organizations, including the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Li Guanglian, Director General of the China Office of the World FZO, introduced 
that the World Free Zone Organization will settle in Haikou, to better support 
the development of China's FTZs, especially Hainan FTZ and Hainan free trade 
port. It will provide related services for governments, enterprises and 
investors, support the development of related industries in China, strengthen 
liberalization and facilitation of bilateral investment, promote economic 
globalization, and develop Haikou into the gateway for China's communication 
and cooperation with other parts of the world.

He added that, according to the plan, the Asia-Pacific headquarters of the 
World FZO will be the administration center for this region, and will also deal 
with some business of the Dubai headquarters. It will develop the hub for 
international free trade, and attract world's major FTZs and related 
enterprises to set regional office here. A research institute on world free 
zones will be established, to do research and provide training on free zones, 
to establish standards for China's FTZs, and to collect and compile data on 
China's FTZs. It will cooperate with the universities, organizations and 
experts that have made in-depth research on FTZs, to establish the Hainan Open 
University for FTZ Organizations. A world media center on FTZs and an 
information hub will also be established. Efforts will also be made to found 
the World FTZ (China) Forum in Haikou permanently, and to establish the FTZ 
Development Fund.

Source: The Municipal Government of Haikou City