China expands FTZ network to 23 zones with targeted investor benefits — Eter News

Enriched Analysis 深度解析

China expands FTZ network to 23 zones with targeted investor benefits中国自贸试验区增至23个，面向投资者提供定向政策优惠

China now has 23 pilot free trade zones, alongside the separate Hainan Free Trade Port, after the State Council approved the Inner Mongolia zone in April 2026. The zones offer varying combinations of market-access openings, customs facilitation, financial pilots, and selected tax measures. Their benefits depend on location, sector, registration status, and eligibility conditions.随着国务院于2026年4月批准内蒙古自贸试验区，中国现有23个自贸试验区，另有独立运行的海南自由贸易港。各区提供不同组合的市场准入、海关便利化、金融试点及部分税收措施，但具体优惠取决于企业所在地点、所属行业、注册状态和资格条件。

China Briefing 6 Oct 2026 2026年10月6日

24.324.3

FTZ share of national FDI自贸试验区占全国外商直接投资比例

2929

Restricted or prohibited items outside FTZs自贸试验区外限制或禁止项目数

01The Story新闻事实

China now has 23 pilot free trade zones, alongside the separate Hainan Free Trade Port, after the State Council approved the Inner Mongolia zone in April 2026. The zones offer varying combinations of market-access openings, customs facilitation, financial pilots, and selected tax measures. Their benefits depend on location, sector, registration status, and eligibility conditions.随着国务院于2026年4月批准内蒙古自贸试验区，中国现有23个自贸试验区，另有独立运行的海南自由贸易港。各区提供不同组合的市场准入、海关便利化、金融试点及部分税收措施，但具体优惠取决于企业所在地点、所属行业、注册状态和资格条件。

  • The State Council approved the China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot Free Trade Zone on April 9, 2026, bringing the national total to 23 pilot FTZs.国务院于2026年4月9日批准设立中国（内蒙古）自由贸易试验区，使中国自贸试验区总数增至23个。
  • FTZs attracted US$28.25 billion in foreign direct investment in actual use in 2024, equal to 24.3 percent of the national total.2024年，自贸试验区实际使用外商直接投资282.5亿美元，占全国总额的24.3%。
  • FTZs accounted for 19.6 percent of China’s foreign trade while occupying less than 0.4 percent of the country’s land area.自贸试验区占中国外贸总额的19.6%，但占全国陆地面积不足0.4%。
  • The FTZ foreign-investment negative list has 27 restricted or prohibited items, compared with 29 items outside the zones under the 2024 national list.自贸试验区外商投资负面清单包含27项限制或禁止措施，而区外适用的2024年全国清单包含29项。
  • The Hainan Free Trade Port is a separate regime covering the entire island and has operated as a special customs supervision zone since December 18, 2025.海南自由贸易港是独立制度安排，覆盖整个海南岛，并自2025年12月18日起作为特殊海关监管区域运行。

China’s FTZ strategy is becoming a geographically targeted system for testing wider opening, so the value of a zone depends on matching a company’s sector and operating model to the applicable local rules.中国自贸试验区战略正成为一套按地域定向测试扩大开放的制度体系，因此某个区域的价值取决于企业行业和经营模式是否符合当地适用规则。

024 Dimensions维度分析

Comparison对比

Economic concentration经济活动高度集中

FTZs occupy a very small share of China’s land area but account for significant portions of foreign investment and foreign trade. This highlights their role as concentrated platforms for policy experimentation and international business.自贸试验区占中国土地面积的比例很小，却吸收了较大比例的外商直接投资并贡献了相当份额的外贸。这凸显了其作为政策试验和国际商业平台的集中作用。

FTZ share of national FDI自贸试验区占全国外商直接投资比例

20242024年24.3 %

20242024年19.6 %

Not specified未注明年份0.4 %

  • FTZs attracted US$28.25 billion in FDI in actual use in 2024.2024年，自贸试验区实际使用外商直接投资282.5亿美元。
Comparison对比

Market-access differentiation市场准入差异化

The FTZ negative list is narrower than the national list, but access is not uniform across all zones. Some openings, including wholly foreign-owned value-added telecommunications services and biotechnology activities, are limited to named locations or regimes.自贸试验区负面清单比全国清单更短，但各区的准入程度并不一致。部分开放措施，包括外商独资增值电信服务和生物技术活动，仅适用于指定区域或制度安排。

Restricted or prohibited items outside FTZs自贸试验区外限制或禁止项目数

2024 edition2024年版29 items

2021 edition2021年版27 items

  • Wholly foreign-owned market research firms are permitted in FTZs, except for radio and television audience surveys.除广播电视受众调查外，自贸试验区允许设立外商独资市场研究企业。
  • Wholly foreign-owned value-added telecommunications businesses are permitted in four pilot areas, including parts of Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan, and Shenzhen.北京部分区域、上海部分区域、海南和深圳的四个试点区域允许外商独资增值电信企业开展相关业务。
Stakeholder impact利益相关方

Location and customs boundaries地点与海关边界

FTZ benefits apply to entities registered within precisely defined sub-areas, and not all land inside an FTZ is bonded. Customs treatment generally depends on whether the operation is located in a special customs supervision area such as a comprehensive bonded zone or bonded port area.自贸试验区优惠适用于在明确划定的片区内注册的企业，而区内并非所有土地都属于保税区域。海关待遇通常取决于企业是否位于综合保税区或保税港区等特殊海关监管区域。

  • Most FTZs cover around 120 square kilometres and are typically divided into three sub-areas in different cities.大多数自贸试验区面积约为120平方公里，通常分布在不同城市的三个片区。
  • An address in the same city or district is not necessarily inside an FTZ boundary.即使位于同一城市或同一区，企业地址也不一定处于自贸试验区边界内。
Future signal前瞻信号

Next phase of reform下一阶段改革

The 2025 Opinions set out roughly five years of deeper reforms covering trade, investment, finance, data flows, and talent mobility. For 2026, the government has also pledged to expand autonomous opening in services including value-added telecommunications, biotechnology, and wholly foreign-owned hospitals.2025年发布的相关意见提出未来约五年在贸易、投资、金融、数据流动和人才流动领域深化改革。政府还承诺在2026年扩大增值电信、生物技术和外商独资医院等服务领域的自主开放。

  • The 2025 Opinions were issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council in April 2025.中共中央和国务院于2025年4月发布了相关实施自贸试验区提升战略的意见。
  • Commerce Minister Wang Wentao pledged in 2026 to expand autonomous opening in selected services.商务部长王文涛于2026年承诺扩大部分服务领域的自主开放。

03Timeline时间线

  1. 2013 China opened the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, beginning the national FTZ network.中国设立中国（上海）自由贸易试验区，开启全国自贸试验区网络建设。
  2. 2018 The Hainan Pilot Free Trade Zone was established, later providing the foundation for the Hainan Free Trade Port.海南自由贸易试验区设立，后来成为海南自由贸易港的基础。
  3. 2021 The Hainan Free Trade Port Law was adopted.《中华人民共和国海南自由贸易港法》通过。
  4. 2025-04 The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the Opinions on Implementing the Strategy of Upgrading Pilot Free Trade Zones.中共中央和国务院发布《关于实施自由贸易试验区提升战略的意见》。
  5. 2025-12-18 The Hainan Free Trade Port launched island-wide special customs operations.海南自由贸易港启动全岛封关运作。
  6. 2026-04-09 The State Council approved the China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot Free Trade Zone, bringing the total to 23.国务院批准设立中国（内蒙古）自由贸易试验区，使自贸试验区总数增至23个。

Key takeaway核心结论

China’s FTZs provide a platform for selective opening, but investors must verify the exact zone boundary, sector eligibility, and customs regime before relying on a stated benefit.中国自贸试验区提供了选择性开放的平台，但投资者在依据某项优惠作出安排前，必须核实具体片区边界、行业资格和适用海关制度。

04What to Watch后续关注

  1. How the roughly five-year reform program under the 2025 Opinions is implemented across trade, investment, finance, data flows, and talent mobility.2025年相关意见提出的约五年改革计划将如何在贸易、投资、金融、数据流动和人才流动领域落地。
  2. Whether autonomous opening expands in value-added telecommunications, biotechnology, and wholly foreign-owned hospitals during 2026.2026年增值电信、生物技术和外商独资医院等领域的自主开放是否扩大。
  3. Which locations receive additional sector-specific pilots and how eligibility conditions differ among FTZs.哪些地区将获得更多行业试点，以及各自贸试验区的资格条件如何进一步分化。

05Uncertainties不确定因素

  • The source does not establish that every FTZ benefit applies nationwide within all zones; several sector openings are limited to named locations.来源并未表明所有自贸试验区都能享受全部优惠；部分行业开放措施仅限于指定地点。
  • Being located inside an FTZ does not automatically mean an operation is within a bonded area or eligible for bonded treatment.位于自贸试验区内并不自动意味着企业处于保税区域或具备享受保税待遇的资格。
  • The source identifies the FTZ negative list as the 2021 edition but does not provide a newer edition or explain when it may be updated.来源指出自贸试验区适用的是2021年版负面清单，但未提供更新版本，也未说明何时可能修订。

06Sources信息来源

  1. China FTZs: Benefits, Eligibility, and How to Choose the Right OneChina FTZs: Benefits, Eligibility, and How to Choose the Right One China Briefing · 2026-10-06

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