BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhuanet) -- South China's Hainan Province is at the forefront of China’s 40 years of reform and opening up, said Chen Fengying, a research fellow with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

Hainan free trade port will play an important role in the business of international conferences, exhibitions and warehousing, Chen made the remarks during a recent interview with Xinhuanet.

China aims to "basically establish" free trade port system in Hainan by 2025 and make the free trade port system and operational mode "more mature" by 2035.

Hainan is facing new opportunities in China’s development of maritime economy which is of great significance to the Belt and Road Initiative, Chen stressed, adding that maritime economy can be regarded as the frontier or expansion of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Service trade is also the key of Hainan’s development as well as a core issue in China’s comprehensive opening up, she noted.

Hainan will have great space for development under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, she stressed.

Speaking of the visa-free access to Hainan, Chen said that as a vivid reflection of China’s opening up, it opens the door for further cooperation between China and the Belt and Road countries as well as Southeast Asian countries.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of Hainan Province and the Hainan Special Economic Zone, as well as the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up of the whole country.