The China (Hebei) Pilot Free Trade Zone was approved by the State Council on Aug 26, 2019 as one of the 18 pilot free trade zones in China.

Goal

Hebei focuses on promoting its coordinated development with Beijing and Tianjin. It leads in high-quality development in the Xiongan New Area and in the high-tech industry, aiming to become a hub of international commercial logistics, a new industrial base, a highland of innovation and a pioneer area for opening-up.

Scope of implementation

The Hebei Free Trade Zone is the only one in China involving two provincial regions. It covers an area of 119.97 square kilometers and consists of four areas: Xiongan Area, a 33.23-square-kilometer district of Baoding; Zhengding Area, a 33.29-square-kilometer district of Shijiazhuang (incorporating 2.86 square kilometers of Shijiazhuang Comprehensive Bonded Zone), Caofeidian Area, a 33.48-square-kilometer district of Tangshan (incorporating 4.59 square kilometers of Caofeidian Free Trade Zone and 19.97 square kilometers of Daxing Airport Area. Almost 10 square kilometers of the zone are in Beijing.

Division of functions

Xiongan Area focuses on new generations of information technology, modern life science and biotechnology, as well as the high-end modern service industry, and was established as a pilot zone for the high-tech industry’s open development, a model area of digital commerce, and a pioneer area for financial innovation.

Zhengding Area centers on airport economy, biomedicine, international logistics and high-end equipment manufacturing, and is expected to become a cluster area for aviation industry’s opening-up, a pilot zone for biomedicine industry’s open innovation, and a hub of integrated logistics.

Caofeidian Area is devoted to development of international commodity trade, port and shipping services, energy storage and distribution and high-end equipment manufacturing, and is to be established as a pioneer area of Northeast Asian economic cooperation and an innovation model area of port economy.

Daxing Airport Area prioritizes aviation logistics, aviation technology and financial leasing to become an international exchange center, a pilot zone of China’s aviation technology innovation, and a demonstration area for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development.