Just 7.6 grams, lighter than an eraser, is enough to make a very weighty difference in the life of a six-year-old from Zhejiang, allowing him to hear the loving voices of his parents and all the beautiful melodies of the world around him.

Diagnosed with deafness shortly after birth, the young patient recently had an imported SYNCHRONY 2 cochlear implant placed successfully at the Boao Super Hospital in the Hainan FTP's Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. The high-quality cochlear implant was imported under Hainan's zero-tariff policy for medicines and medical devices. Weighing in at only 7.6 grams, the tiny implant has made a world of difference for this child as well as for his whole family.

This is a vivid illustration of the benefits of the Hainan Free Trade Port's zero-tariff policy for imported medicines and medical devices, which is specially tailored for the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. Qualified medical institutions and other entities located within the Pilot Zone are able to import licensed drugs and medical devices that are licensed for use in other countries but have not yet been approved for use in China, as well as those that are already on the market domestically, under the FTP's zero-tariff policy.

"The policy reduces the cost of importing medicines and medical devices, allowing more people to enjoy the policy benefits of the Hainan Free Trade Port". Liu Yue, deputy director of the Boao Super Hospital, said that thanks to the zero-tariff policy, the hospital is able to import more high-quality advanced medicines and medical equipment so that more patients can be treated with the best, most advanced products in the world. Hundreds of medical devices including cochlear implants, worth over 81 million yuan in total, have now been imported under the zero-tariff policy, resulting in a savings of over 10 million yuan.

The policy has significantly reduced the cost of medical treatment for many patients. Currently, tariffs on medical devices are set at around 3%, with value-added taxes on medicines and medical devices set at 13%. The zero-tariff policy means that imports of these medicines and medical devices are exempt from import charges, reducing the operating costs of medical providers. This reduces the total cost of imported medicines and medical devices, alleviates the cost burden for patients, and offers new hope for many.

A representative of the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone gave an example: specially imported robotic arms and manipulators used to place auxiliary cochlear implants, valued at 1.5 million yuan, are exempted from around 195,000 yuan in import tariffs under the zero-tariff policy. Another example is a diabetes treatment medication worth around 50,000 yuan. The zero-tariff policy reduces the price of a single bottle of medication by nearly 6,000 yuan.

In order to maximize policy benefits, accredited medical institutions with independent legal status, medical colleges & universities, and pharmaceutical research institutes located in the Pilot Zone are eligible to import medicines and medical devices under the zero-tariff policy, as long as they use the imported medicines and medical devices in accordance with regulations.

Since the zero-tariff policy for imported medicines and medical devices was implemented at the end of 2024, Haikou Customs has issued 22 measures to optimize the business environment of the FTP and support the development of Hainan’s export-oriented economy, further expanding the zero-tariff policy. The list of eligible devices has expanded from cochlear implants to include all kinds of different medical devices such as sound processors, auditory brainstem implants, artificial bone bridges, and artificial lenses, while eligible importers now include nearly 20 medical institutions such as the Boao Super Hospital and the Shulan (Boao) Hospital.

The Hainan FTP zero-tariff policy has been expanded, with benefits that can be heard even in the cochlear implants of young children. Tian Tao, deputy director of Haikou Customs, explained that in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, the total value of medicines and medical devices imported under the policy has now reached 225 million yuan, saving importers 29.47 million yuan and aiding in the development of Hainan's medical and health industry.

After the official launch of the Hainan FTP special customs operations, zero-tariff imported medicines and medical devices will enter Hainan freely and conveniently through the 'first line'. Customs will immediately release imported zero-tariff goods and bonded goods that do not require inspection, quarantine, or licensing management. This is a customs clearance facilitation measure for imported goods that is clearly stated in the Hainan Free Trade Port Law. The number of declaration items for goods that do not require inspection, quarantine, or licensing management has been reduced from 105 to 33, allowing goods to clear customs quickly, further reducing costs for importers, and bringing them faster, better access to policy benefits.