China Grants 'Operational Independence' to Foreign Universities Established in Hainan

China has decided to grant operational independence to foreign universities entering the Hainan Free Trade Port, unlike before.

According to the state-run China Daily on the 26th, foreign universities entering China as well as universities from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan will be able to establish universities and higher vocational schools in the Hainan Free Trade Port and operate them independently.

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This comes as the Ministry of Education of China and the Hainan provincial government have formulated related regulations. According to the regulations, overseas universities specializing in fields such as science, engineering, agriculture, and medicine can establish campuses in Hainan.

China allowed overseas educational institutions to enter the country in 1995, but there was a condition that Chinese partners participate in the establishment and operation of the schools.

However, according to China Daily, the newly established regulations remove this condition, allowing foreign universities to independently elect their presidents and manage academic affairs autonomously. They can accept not only Chinese students but also foreign students and operate curricula in foreign languages.

Foreign universities are also granted benefits such as tax exemptions and income tax reductions according to the Higher Education Law and Free Trade Port-related regulations. However, they must comply with the Chinese Constitution and laws.

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