Cross-Border Live Streaming Growth in Hainan
Approximately 20 foreign broadcasters are now operating at the De航 FLY3 cross-border (zero-tariff) experience city in Sanya’s Phoenix International Airport, according to reporting by澎湃新闻. Among them is an intern from Kyrgyzstan who partners with a Chinese colleague in a “Chinese-English team” format to sell products globally through cross-border live streaming. These foreign broadcasters arrived in Hainan in late 2024 and subsequently received training in live streaming sales techniques.
A foreign broadcaster from Kyrgyzstan and a Chinese partner form a “Chinese-English team” to conduct cross-border live streaming sales. Photo: 澎湃新闻 reporter He Liping
Infrastructure and Technical Improvements
The expansion reflects De航集团’s (De航 Group) strategic focus on cross-border live streaming, alongside Hainan’s broader push to develop cross-border e-commerce. Lu Ping, Executive Director of Hainan Free Trade Zone De航 Group, told澎湃新闻 that the company—a 20-year-old Hainan-based enterprise—has experienced accelerated growth through policy support and market operations. “We are advancing the integration of online and offline operations, with cross-border live streaming as a key digital development focus this year,” Lu stated.
Huang Yasan, Information Center Director at De航 Group, explained that cross-border live streaming operations have undergone approximately two years of exploration and optimization. After Hainan’s free trade port entered full closure operations, the business gained new momentum. A critical infrastructure development was the opening of “cross-border data lines” after closure, which now cover Vietnam, Thailand, and South Africa.
These dedicated data lines are essential for cross-border live streaming. They ensure low-latency, low-packet-loss transmission to prevent buffering and disconnections, while also enabling regulatory compliance through traceable and monitored network pathways. Huang noted that network latency has been reduced to under 100 milliseconds—approaching domestic access speeds—and operational costs have decreased by over 40% compared to earlier operations.
The approval process for cross-border data lines has also been streamlined. Application review cycles have been shortened from over 15 days to as few as 3 days (fastest) or approximately 7 days (standard), according to Huang. Within the live streaming studios, regulatory oversight is maintained through designated personnel access protocols, with non-listed individuals required to register.
Policy Framework and Market Opportunities
Lu Ping emphasized the strategic importance of data flow: “Orderly data flow is one of the core policies of Hainan’s free trade port and a key distinction from the mainland. We must maintain oversight while leveraging this policy effectively.” He highlighted that Hainan’s visa-free entry policy for over 80 countries creates opportunities for cross-border live streaming training, conferences, and exhibitions.
The “Eternal Consumer Expo” (永不落幕的消博汇), also located at De航 city, provides a competitive advantage for cross-border live streaming operations. Established as a permanent operating mechanism to extend the spillover effects of the Consumer Expo, the facility was authorized by Hainan’s International Economic Development Bureau in July (last year) as the first offline experience space for the “Eternal Consumer Expo.” As of now, 15 country pavilions have been established, with plans to add 2–3 more in the second half of this year. “After these countries complete their exhibitions, all merchandise is placed in their pavilions, giving us significant product diversity advantages,” Huang explained.
Expansion Beyond Sanya
Cross-border live streaming is expanding across multiple locations in Hainan. Approximately 300 kilometers from De航 city, in Haikou’s Fuxing City Internet Information Industry Park, a cross-border live streaming base is attracting companies and foreign broadcasters.
Liu Mengmeng, General Manager of Haikou Yudong International Trade Co., Ltd., specializes in TikTok cross-border live streaming and provides one-stop services for overseas brands, including live streaming representation and omnichannel operations management. The company currently has 4 full-time foreign broadcasters and plans to expand the team further.
Liu spent 15 years in New Zealand in education and work, with a background in oil painting and advertising design. She previously worked in advertising design, focusing on helping brands communicate messages that local audiences could understand, appreciate, and trust. Hainan’s free trade port policies accelerated her decision to return to China. “Seeing Chinese brands concentrate their overseas expansion efforts, I felt it was time to come back,” Liu told澎湃新闻. Her team now helps enterprises ensure their products and live streaming content align with overseas aesthetic and cultural preferences. “Art can be universal, but commerce must be localized. Our practice proves that the ‘foreign broadcaster + localized content’ model works,” she stated.
Fuxing City, one of Hainan’s 13 key free trade port parks, attracts businesses through efficient secure network services, talent hubs recommending qualified foreign broadcasters, and client connection support. The park focuses on digital trade and cross-border data flows, with a target of nearly 200 billion yuan in annual revenue by 2025.
National Policy and Growth Targets
In September 2025, Hainan Province released the “Implementation Plan for the China (Hainan) Comprehensive Cross-Border E-Commerce Pilot Zone.” Hainan’s entire territory was approved to establish a comprehensive cross-border e-commerce pilot zone, with objectives to build a cross-border e-commerce import consumption center and optimize the cross-border e-commerce exhibition and live streaming ecosystem. The plan targets a “buy globally, sell globally” bilateral trade flow pattern, with cross-border e-commerce import-export scale projected to grow at an average annual rate of 20% by 2030.
Lu Wei, Vice Director of Hainan Commerce Department, noted that following the free trade port’s closure operations, special tax policies—including zero tariffs, low tax rates, and simplified taxation—combined with visa-free personnel entry, expanded aviation rights, multifunctional free trade accounts, and improving cross-border data infrastructure, will enable diverse implementation pathways for new cross-border e-commerce scenarios.
Lu Ping underscored the broader significance: “With more fluid personnel movement in Hainan, we have attracted many international students and foreign broadcasters. We are seeing geometric-level growth. In a globally uncertain environment, Hainan offers a stable, reliable development platform.”
FAQ
Q: What is the “Eternal Consumer Expo” and how does it support cross-border live streaming?
A: The “Eternal Consumer Expo” is a permanent operating mechanism located at De航 FLY3 experience city in Sanya. Authorized by Hainan’s International Economic Development Bureau, it serves as the first offline experience space for the Consumer Expo brand. Currently hosting 15 country pavilions (with 2–3 more planned), it allows merchandise from international exhibitors to remain on permanent display and sale, providing cross-border live streaming operations with a diverse product inventory for sales broadcasts.
Q: How have cross-border data lines improved live streaming operations in Hainan?
A: Cross-border data lines, now operational after Hainan’s free trade port closure, cover Vietnam, Thailand, and South Africa. These dedicated lines reduce network latency to under 100 milliseconds (approaching domestic speeds) and have cut operational costs by over 40%. They also ensure regulatory compliance through traceable, monitored network pathways, preventing buffering and disconnections that previously plagued cross-border operations.
Q: What approval timeline applies to cross-border data line applications?
A: According to De航 Group’s Information Center Director, the approval process for cross-border data line applications has been streamlined. The fastest approval cycle is 3 days, while standard reviews typically take approximately 7 days—a significant reduction from the previous requirement of over 15 days.
