In August 2019, the China (Hebei) Pilot Free Trade Zone (“the Hebei FTZ”) was approved. A designated area of 19.97 square kilometers of the Beijing Daxing International Airport Economic Zone lies in the Daxing Airport part of the Hebei FTZ. 

The part includes regions of both Langfang in Hebei and Daxing in Beijing, making it the first cross-provincial pilot free trade zone in the country.

In September 2020, the China (Beijing) Free Trade Pilot Zone (“the Beijing FTZ”) was approved, incorporating a 10.36-square kilometer aero-industrial area on the west side of Daxing Airport into the high-end industrial zone of the Beijing FTZ.

This has established the "dual free trade zone" pattern in the air economic zone, making it the only region in the country to simultaneously benefit from policies of two provincial-level free trade pilot zones.

Since its establishment, the dual free trade pilot zone has adhered to high-level planning. It has focused on key industries such as life and health, aviation logistics, international trade, and digital economy, and has overcome difficulties in institutional innovation, project introduction, and business environment.

It has worked hard to provide open and innovative institutional support for the landing and development of enterprises and projects and create a more optimal institutionally open environment.

The zone is committed to driving institutional innovation, to which it has pioneered unique approaches in key areas such as life and health, international trade, digital economy, and regional coordinated development.

It has been honored with eight national and provincial-level best practice awards for free trade zones. Notably, its collaboration with the Beijing Network Information Office in the establishment of a cross-border data security management mechanism that enables compliant data outbound pathways, was recognized as a best practice case in the fourth batch of comprehensive deepening of service trade innovation and development pilot projects by the Ministry of Commerce in 2023.

Additionally, its "Four Mechanisms to Build a Demonstration Model for Coordinated Development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region" initiative in the Daxing Airport part of the Hebei FTZ was selected as a best practice case in the fourth batch of national free trade pilot zones in 2020.

It is bold in exploring coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Leveraging its own advantages, the Daxing Airport part has pioneered a new model of coordinated development, in which Beijing and Hebei have jointly planned, constructed, and managed an integrated bonded zone across provinces. This initiative has facilitated the shared planning, construction, and benefits of infrastructure, leading to the official closure and acceptance of the Daxing Airport comprehensive bonded zone by the end of 2021.

This innovative approach has introduced a unified customs clearance model, allowing for integrated development of the bonded zone and the port functional area, and enabling seamless and efficient transportation of goods within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The zone is steadily promoting the internationalization of industries. It has gathered a group of companies in the genetic and cellular fields, such as AegleStem, and has established key projects in the aviation industry, including the Civil Aviation Airworthiness Certification Center.

Additionally, the zone has attracted key players in the aviation logistics supply chain, including SF Express, JD.com, and Nanyang.

The Daxing Airport comprehensive bonded zone, the first major project to promote the coordinated development of Beijing and Hebei and the integration of the port area, has commenced operations.

In order to efficiently promote investment in the area, the airport economic zone has established seven overseas representative offices in regions and countries such as North America, Japan, and Germany, and has established cooperative relationships with organizations such as the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China (CCI France Chine) and the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China), gradually forming an international investment promotion network.

The zone is creating an advanced business environment. It provides enterprises with one-stop administrative approval services, as well as support in terms of talent, policies, and finance, attracting high-quality enterprises to gather and support the high-quality development of the free trade zone.

It comprehensively undertakes 196 items of administrative powers at the municipal and district levels, implements the "one seal for approval" policy, and achieves "fully online processing" of administrative procedures.

It implements a new integrated approval model of "regional assessment + standard site + commitment notification + comprehensive service", which totally simplifies the approval process for social investment projects.

It implements the "record-filing system" and achieves "instant approval upon registration". It launches integrated services for social investment in warehousing and logistics projects, allowing for "Several certificates in one day, and construction starts as soon as land is acquired", enabling JD.com to "obtain three certificates in one day" and SF Express to complete acceptance and record-filing "entirely online" in one day.

In the future, the dual free trade zone in Daxing will focus on institutional innovation, serving the development of industries and the aggregation of international resource elements.

It will leverage the "new engine of national development" and the overlapping political dividends, focusing on key tasks such as institutional innovation practices and the development and enhancement of key areas to accelerate the effectiveness of open and innovative policies.