Report of the Hai-EU Dialogue Series – Part I: Institutional Opening Up: Advancing Free Trade Port Governance and Connectivity
Yifei Zhu
CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND
September 3, 2026, marked the launch of the series of Hai-Eu Dialogue: Europe-China Perspectives on Ocean Governance and Sustainable Development in the Era of the Hainan Free Trade Port / “海欧”传声：海南自贸港时代下的中欧海洋治理与可持续发展对话. The series is a joint initiative of the Stockholm China Center at the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP), the Hainan-based Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance (Huayang Center), and the Institute for China-Europe Studies (ICES) in Brussels.
The series provides a forum for dialogue among experts, practitioners, and the wider public on maritime issues, with the aim of fostering mutual understanding, facilitating policy exchange, and identifying areas for closer EU–China cooperation.
The inaugural webinar focused on port governance and connectivity. Ports have long served as vital gateways for trade and economic exchange, but their role today extends well beyond the movement of goods. Effective port development increasingly depends on governance, hinterland and market connectivity, and cooperation across different institutional and regional contexts. These issues have become even more salient amid shifts in global trade, supply chains, and the wider economic and geopolitical environment.
Against this background, the webinar brought together three speakers who approached the topic from distinct but complementary perspectives.
The webinar was recorded and is available on YouTube.
This report summarizes the main points raised by the three speakers and highlights the key takeaways from the discussion. Relevant responses from the Q&A session are incorporated into the respective speaker sections rather than presented separately.
