The 19th National Congress proposed to explore the construction of a free trade port. In addition to the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, a free trade port zone has been proposed. The Guangzhou Nansha Free Trade Zone adjacent to Hong Kong is also intended to explore the construction of a free trade port.

When the Guangdong delegation discussed the report of the 19th National Congress on the 19th, Guangzhou Municipal Party Committee Secretary Ren Xuefeng stated that the Nansha Free Trade Zone, as a gateway to the openness of the Guangdong Province, must follow the report's requirements and explore the construction of the Nansha Free Trade Port in a spirit of reform and innovation. Zheng Tianxiang, professor at the Hong Kong and Macao Zhujiao Research Center of Sun Yat-Sen University, said that Guangdong and Hong Kong can “fight to sea” and under the national “One Belt and One Road” strategy, jointly develop markets along the lines of finance, shipping and foreign trade.

How Nansha explores the construction of a free trade port and how to cooperate with Hong Kong under the Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Mechanism. Zheng Tianxiang believes that exploring the construction of a free port in the Nansha Free Trade Zone will have an incentive effect for Hong Kong. He pointed out that Hong Kong has a first-mover advantage in the international shipping industry. However, the current development in the shipping service industry and shipping finance industry is not enough. For example, ship trading, leasing services, etc. have not fully developed, and even ship exchanges do not.

Zheng Tianxiang said that Hong Kong is rich in resources such as lawyers and other professional services, and there are very favorable conditions for the development of shipping arbitration. "Because of the difference between the civil law and the law of the sea, if a ship accidentally decides how to deal with the dispute, it will need shipping arbitration."

Zheng Tianxiang said: "In the past, Hong Kong was reluctant to compete with London and its main force was to develop warehousing and docks to become a simple transit port. As a result, it competed with the ports around Pearl River Point." With the opening of mainland ports, mainland enterprises are more willing to export goods. Instead of going through Hong Kong, we will take a closer distance and lower cost to the port of Zhuhai. “When several domestic free trade zones are ready to explore the construction of free trade ports, Hong Kong can consider moving the direction of development to shipping services such as finance and arbitration."

He said: "In the past, Hong Kong did not actively work in this area. After Nansha explores the establishment of a free trade port, it hopes that it can promote Hong Kong's sense of competition in the shipping industry and take the initiative to participate in the cooperation of the port groups in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau."