《海南自由贸易港建设总体方案》于近期公布。中国政府在《方案》中表明，到本世纪中叶，海南岛将建设成为世界开放水平最高的自由贸易港，直接对标中国香港特别行政区和新加坡。一系列海关监管、税收及制度改革已经在海南铺开，当地的法律服务市场也准备迈入2.0时代。
2018年，海南省庆祝了其建立经济特区30周年。在那年的“413”讲话中，习近平总书记提出了海南未来发展的两个关键词：先是建立“自由贸易试验区”，再逐步实现“自由贸易港”。
随后两年，海南进入“自贸区时代”。2020年6月1日，伴随《海南自由贸易港建设总体方案》的公布，海南第二阶段的身份面纱也终于被揭开。
和“自贸区”相比，“自贸港”的新身份有何不同？
“与其他17个自贸区不同，海南自贸区在设立之初就明确了分两步走的目标。”金杜律师事务所合伙人王鹏律师告诉ALB，“自贸港虽然是自贸区的延续，但在开放程度、营商环境、法律体系上有质的区别。自贸港比自贸区开放程度更高、贸易投资更便利，法治化程度更高。”
国浩律师事务所上海办公室管理合伙人黄宁宁律师则指出：“2018年海南自贸区方案出台。与其他17个自贸区相比，除面积惊人外，没有在方案中出现让人眼前一亮的新政策。彼时，海南面临两大问题：（法律）制度保障缺位和人才缺位。”
他认为，当时虽然已经提出了自贸港的说法，但“对定义缺乏权威解释和法律依据”。《方案》的提出，则确定了目标、明晰了方法，“海南能够对标国际自由贸易港，分阶段实施，并用三十年左右时间，全面建成具有较强国际影响力的高水平自由贸易港”。
金杜律师事务所三亚办公室合伙人王垚律师指出，海南自贸港的建设是有明确对标对象的，即香港和新加坡国际自由贸易港。
在她看来，自贸港首先涉及的领域更宽，“已不仅限于货物、资金的贸易，更注重服务贸易，注重文化、教育、农业、旅游、大健康等领域，这也是海南自贸港的发展重点”。
此外，自贸港的建设还意味着制度更新的同时发生。“作为全球开放水平最高的区域，需要在市场准入、金融制度、税收等方面做出一系列特殊的政策安排。自贸区和自贸港最大的区别在于，自贸区侧重于货物流通方面的开放，而自贸港则是全方位的开放，包括货物、货币、人员、信息流通，以及更重要的法律和监管方面的全方位变革。”她说。
“自贸港概念的推出，使本可能‘泯然众自贸区’的海南焕然一新。”黄宁宁律师感慨道。
有何期待？
“经济特区”或“自贸区”等说法并不为中国人所陌生。根据一份报告，2019年全球各种形式的“自贸区”数量超过5000个，其中接近一半在中国。
然而海南自贸港方案的提出，仍旧吸引了中国甚至世界范围内的关注，重要原因就在于《方案》中的许多政策超过预期，将海南的开放程度提高到了在中国全所未有的水平。
在《方案》包含的诸多新政中，哪些最值得留意？律师们指出了其中最重要的三点。
首先，未来海南将成为全岛“封关运作”的海关监管特殊区域，这是在中国海关监管层面还不存在的一种全新管理模式。
王垚律师解释道，具体来说，未来海南要实行“一线放开、二线管住”的进出口管理制度。“一线放开”，指的是放开海南自贸港和国家海关线之间的管理环节，除了限制进口的货物清单外，绝大多数进口货物免关税，对服务贸易则实行“既准入又准营”。
“二线管住”，指的则是在海南自贸港和国内其他地区之间设立新的管理环节，比如进口货物从海南进入内地，要按进口规定办手续、照章纳税等。
其次值得注意的，是零关税、低税率、简税制的特殊税收制度安排。即“对部分进口商品实行‘零关税’政策，免征关税、增值税和消费税；对企业和个人所得实施低税率。”黄宁宁律师解释道。
“企业所得税税率将从25%降至15%，个人所得税最高边际税率将从45%降至15%……这能实际吸引企业和人才的落地。”
黄宁宁，国浩律师事务所
他继而提供了一组直观数据：企业所得税税率将从25%降至15%，个人所得税最高边际税率将从45%降至15%，“这能实际吸引企业和人才的落地”。他说。
第三，则是要在海南自贸港建立新型法治体系，按照《方案》中的表述，就是“以自由贸易港法为基础，以地方性法规和商事纠纷解决机制为重要组成的自由贸易港法治体系”。
“法治建设方面，《方案》中最大亮点就在于对《海南自由贸易港法》的推动制定与实施。”王垚律师说，“制定《海南自由贸易港法》意义重大。纵观世界上知名的自由贸易港，如香港、新加坡、迪拜等，无一例外不是从立法先行，率先确立自由贸易港的法律架构和法治基础，进而推动自由贸易港长足发展的。”
距离《方案》颁布仅有2月，新法治体系建设已经铺开。王垚律师告诉ALB，在6月16日，海南省人民代表大会常务委员会就表决通过了《海南省多元化解纠纷条例》《海南自由贸易港博鳌乐城国际医疗旅游先行区条例》，未来这些法规都将成为自由贸易港法治体系的重要环节。
新产业崛起
新政随新身份纷至沓来，不过在中国，“海南热”并不算个新词。
上世纪80年代末和2010年前后，伴随海南成为“特区省”和“国际旅游岛”，政府也曾在海南释放过多轮政策红利，然而海南都一定程度错失了机会，政策红利再三演变成房地产炒作风暴，并最终化为一地泡沫。
即便抛去过分倚重房地产的状况不看，根据国家统计局最新数据，2018年海南全省GDP为4832.05亿元，临近的深圳市则是它的5倍（24221.98亿元），海南省GDP在当年全国31省中排名倒数第四，产业发展水平依旧较低。
6月8日，新《方案》一出，海南省委书记刘赐贵就明确提出：海南不能成为房地产“加工厂”。
那么海南未来的产业将往何处走？国浩律师事务所海南办公室主任姜丹律师告诉ALB：“《方案》非常明确：海南要构建现代产业体系，主要指旅游业、现代服务和高新技术产业。”
她继而指出：“海南全岛现在有11个重点产业园区，我理解，在2025年前，《方案》中的那些优惠政策主要会在这些园区里实现。”
金杜律师事务所合伙人罗艾律师对上述三种新产业给出了更具体的解释：“在旅游业方面，围绕国际旅游消费中心建设，将推动旅游与文化体育、健康医疗、养老养生等深度融合；在现代服务业方面，推动港口、产业、城市融合发展，构建具有国际竞争力的海洋服务体系；在高新技术产业方面，则以物联网、人工智能、区块链、数字贸易等为重点。”
金杜律师事务所的另两位合伙人宁宣凤、冯晓鹏律师则提出了他们关注的三个新产业亮点。
“第一是航天产业。在文昌国际航天城以外，海口综合保税区也可以作为政策承接地之一，发展壮大海南整机维修企业，同时带动一批航天零部件维修、制造企业在海南聚集。”
“第二是医疗产业，尤其是发展和人工智能相关的医疗服务。海南代表已经向人大提议在海南开展人工智能辅助决策产品的先行先试。其次是医疗和旅游产业的深度结合，将海南打造成为医疗健康岛。”
“最后是跨境电商产业园。现行的‘淘宝免税白名单’有望被海南自贸港中施行的进口货物征税正面清单所取代，回应百姓关注的海淘问题。”他们说。
新产业之外，姜丹律师也指出：房地产不一定是海南的“毒药”，关键要看如何发展。
“从长远看，房地产业肯定也是海南的一个发展方向。海南通过相关产业联动，把旅游业、现代服务业、高新技术产业做起来之后，实现产城融合之时，自然就可以带动相关商业性地产，甚至是住宅性地产的发展。”她说。
法律服务变革
各界都对海南的发展拭目以待，其中自然也包括法律行业从业者。
和其他地方不同，在海南，法律服务市场变化的第一个关键词是“开放”。
“中央赋予了海南独有政策，海南已经并必将成为中国律所业务模式的‘试验田’。”
杜宁，金杜律师事务所
2019年10月1日，《海南经济特区律师条例》颁布，“《条例》正式拉开了海南律师行业改革的序幕，打破了延续十几年不变的禁止省外律所来海南设立分所和本省律师在海口、三亚新设律所的规定，敞开了注册律所的大门，并且积极鼓励引进国际化、专业化的国内外大所、强所来海南投资设立分支机构”。金杜律师事务所海口办公室合伙人杜宁律师告诉ALB。
《条例》已经引发了巨变：6月5日，海南举办了一场“引进和新设立律师事务所集中颁证”仪式，在过去10个月中，海南引进并新设律所57家，新增占比40.7%，其中具有涉外法律服务能力的41家，香港合伙联营所2家，全国知名律所分所28家，可以说彻底改变了海南法律服务市场的格局。
“未来竞争会更激烈。”姜丹律师坦言，“如果不扩大服务范围、提高能力及水平，本地老所或将面临被淘汰……同时受到市场需要和市场驱动，会出现一轮分分合合的律所整合潮。”
2019年3月，正是在这样预判下，姜律师带领原海南嘉天律师事务所整体加入了国浩。这次改制设立使国浩在海口、三亚、儋州、文昌等地拥有了一支约125人的当地团队，业务涉及破产重整、金融、政府法律顾问与立法、并购重组、航空融资与租赁、海事海商、文旅产业、建设工程与房地产等多个领域。
“存量业务竞争会更加激烈，对于服务能力、方式、范围要求会更高；增量业务竞争会在大所、专业所、国际化律所间展开。很多新领域，谁先做出成绩，谁就能占领制高点。”
姜丹，国浩律师事务所
谈到未来，姜律师说：“存量业务竞争会更加激烈，对于服务能力、方式、范围要求会更高；增量业务竞争——主要指围绕自贸港建设出现的新业务、新客户——会在大所、专业所、国际化律所间展开，很多新领域，谁先做出成绩，谁就能占领制高点，竞争与机会并存。”
《条例》带来的不仅是玩家的增多，和其他领域一样，它也在制度层面打破了律所经营的诸多“天花板”。
“《条例》创新了律所组织形式，放宽了特殊普通合伙律师事务所的合伙人准入条件。除执业律师外，允许注册会计师等其他专业人士成为合伙人，但其人数和出资比例均不得超过25%。” 杜宁律师说。
她接着说：“《条例》同时借鉴新加坡律师制度，鼓励具备条件的律师事务所实行公司化管理，允许按照有关规定设立公司制律所。”——这直接突破了现行《律师法》的规定。
“此外，《条例》还允许外国和香港特别行政区、澳门特别行政区律师事务所驻海南代表机构依照有关规定，从事部分涉海南的商事非诉讼法律事务，这是中央赋予海南的独有政策，海南已经并必将成为中国律所业务模式的‘试验田’。”杜律师说。
杜律师告诉ALB，海南自贸港《方案》公布以来，境内外投资、创业者纷踏至来，“政策应用、项目落地、企业从设立到发展无一都离不开法律、财会、税务、咨询等第三方中介服务”。
未来，一方面伴随自贸港建设深入展开，企业对于各类新型法律业务，如跨境并购、资产证券化、投融资、离岸金融、区块链、财富管理等需求增多，会对传统律所的业务模式提出更高要求。
另一方面，在海南，将不同类型中介服务相结合可能会成为一大趋势。“将法律与咨询、财会、税务等服务结合在一起，有利于为企业，特别是创业型、开拓型企业提供一站式综合性服务，对企业来讲集约高效，对律所来讲能够增强核心竞争力。”杜律师说。
Island of Potential
China recently unveiled a plan for the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port, which aims to turn the island province into an open, world-class free trade port by the middle of the century. And as a series of reform measures involving customs, taxation and systems are rolled out, law firms are gearing up to service clients taking advantage of Hainan’s new status.
In 2018, Hainan Province celebrated its 30th anniversary of becoming a special economic zone of China. At that ceremony, President Xi Jinping announced that the central government would support Hainan in the construction of a “pilot free trade zone” spanning the island, which would gradually become a “free trade port [FTP].”
Two years later, Hainan’s FTP dream is becoming a reality. On June 1, Hainan’s FTP Plan was released. “Different from the other 17 free trade zones in China, the Hainan Free Trade Zone has a two-phase goal at the beginning of its establishment," Wang Peng, partner at King & Wood Mallesons, tells ALB. "A free trade port is the continuation of a free trade zone, but they are substantially different in terms of the opening up degree, business environment, and legal system."
"The Hainan free trade zone plan, which was introduced in 2018, contains no impressive new policies, apart from the remarkably large geological area of the island province. Back then, Hainan faced two major problems: the absence of legal system guarantees and the lack of talent," Huang Ningning, managing partner of the Shanghai Office of Grandall Law Firm, points out.
The new FTP Plan defines the goals and sets forward clear approaches for Hainan: "Aiming at world famous free trade ports, Hainan now is able to implement the development plans in phases, and comprehensively build a globally-influential high-level free trade port in about 30 years."
According to Wang Yao, partner at the Sanya office of KWM, the Hainan FTP Plan is inspired by two places - Hong Kong and Singapore, which are international free trade ports.
In her view, a free trade port involves a wider range of businesses. "It is not limited to the trade of goods and capital investment, but focuses more on the trade of services, as well as culture, education, agriculture, tourism, healthcare, and other fields," says Wang.
The construction of the free trade port also means that the systems will be updated at the same time. "To be a region with the highest opening-up level in the world, it needs to make a series of special policy arrangements in terms of market access, financial system and taxation. The biggest difference between a free trade zone and a free trade port is that the former focuses on the opening up in the exchange of goods, while the latter opens up in all aspects," Wang adds.
ATTRACTING ATTENTION
Neither the term "special economic zone" or "free trade zone" is new to China. According to a report, there were more than 5,000 "free trade zones" in various forms in the world in 2019, and nearly half of them were in China.
But the FTP Plan has attracted much attention from both inside and outside China because the plan includes many policies that have exceeded expectations, increasing the degree of opening up of Hainan to a level unprecedented in China.
Among the many new policies, which ones are the most noteworthy? Lawyers refer to three most important points.
First of all, in the future, Hainan will implement a island-wide special customs clearance operation, which is a brand-new model that does not yet exist in China. Under that, Hainan will implement an import and export administration system featuring "first-line liberalization and second-line control,” says Wang. "First-line liberalization" means that most goods imported into Hainan FTP will be exempted from import tariffs, except for those falling within the list of restricted imports.
Meanwhile, "second-line control" means the establishment of a new administration process between Hainan and other regions of China, adds Wang. For example, when imported goods enter the mainland from Hainan, procedures must be completed and taxes paid according to import regulations.
Secondly, it is worth noting that the special tax system arrangement includes zero tariff, low tax rate and a simplified tax system.
"The corporate income tax rate will be reduced from 25% to 15%, and the maximum marginal personal income tax rate will be reduced from 45% to 15% … This indeed can attract enterprises and talent to the island province."
Huang Ningning, Grandall Law Firm
The corporate income tax rate will be reduced from 25 percent to 15 percent, says Huang, and the maximum marginal personal income tax rate will be reduced from 45 percent to 15 percent. "This indeed can attract enterprises and talent to the island province," he adds.
And thirdly, a new legal system will be established in Hainan. As stated in the FTP Plan, it is "a legal system for free trade port which is established based on the free trade port law, with local regulations and commercial dispute resolution mechanisms as important components."
"The greatest highlight of the FTP Plan is promoting the formulation and implementation of the Hainan Free Trade Port Law," Wang comments. "Looking at the world famous free trade ports, such as Hong Kong SAR, Singapore and Dubai, they all started the operation of free trade ports with legislation, and set up the legal framework and foundation for the areas, thereby facilitating the rapid developments."
RISE OF NEW INDUSTRIES
Special policies for Hainan are hardly new. In the late 1980s Hainan was designated as a "special zone province;" in 2010, it became an "international tourism island.” These came with a raft or preferential policies, but the island was not able to take full advantage of them. In particular, favourable policies resulted in a real estate bubble, which eventually burst.
Even if we ignore its over-reliance on real estate, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the GDP of Hainan Province in 2018 was 483.2 billion yuan ($69 billion), fourth-lowest in the country, and barely one-fifth of that of the city of Shenzhen in neighbouring Guangdong Province.
However, with the promulgation of the FTP Plan, Liu Cigui, Party chief of Hainan Province, says that Hainan will not be "a processing plant for property projects.”
Where will Hainan's industrial development head in the future? Jiang Dan, director of the Hainan office of Grandall Law Firm, tells ALB: "The FTP Plan sets forth clearly that Hainan will build a modern industrial system, which mainly refers to tourism, modern services and high-tech industries."
Luo Ai, partner at KWM, provides more details: "In terms of tourism, with the focus on the construction of an international tourism consumption center, it will promote the deep integration of tourism and culture and sports, healthcare and elderly care; regarding the modern service industry, efforts will be made to promote the integrated development of ports, industries, and cities, and to build an internationally competitive marine service system; and the development of the high-tech industry will focus on the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, blockchain and digital trade."
In addition to the new industries, the real estate sector will not be ignored, Jiang points out. The key lies in sustainable development.
"In the long run, the real estate sector is definitely a development direction for Hainan. After Hainan integrates tourism, modern service industries, and high-tech industries through the linkage of related industries, when it achieves the integration of industries and cities, it can naturally drive the development of related commercial real estate, even the residential real estate," she says.
REDEFINING LEGAL SERVICES
As Hainan begins on its road to development, lawyers are gearing up to assist clients in taking advantage of this new status. And the openness enshrined in the FTP Plan extends to the legal market as well.
"The central government gives Hainan unique policies. Hainan has and will surely become the 'test ground' for the business models of law firms in China.”
Du Ning, King & Wood Mallesons
Last October saw the promulgation of the Regulations on Lawyers in the Hainan Special Economic Zone, which indicates "the prelude to the reform of the legal sector in Hainan. The regulations nullify a decade-old rule, according to which law firms from outside Hainan are prohibited from setting up branches here, and lawyers from Hainan Province are prohibited from setting up new law firms in Haikou or Sanya," Du Ning, partner at the Haikou Office of KWM, tells ALB.
The regulations have led to tremendous changes in Hainan already. On June 5, a ceremony was held in Hainan to issue certificates to law firms that have either established or opened offices in the province. Over the past ten months, 57 law firms have opened offices or set up in Hainan, and among them 41 have the capability of providing foreign-related legal services, two are joint operation offices with Hong Kong firms, and 28 are branches of domestically renowned firms. It can be said that the landscape of Hainan's legal market has completely changed.
"The market is only going to get more competitive in the future," Jiang admits frankly. "Without expanding the scope of services and improving the capabilities and service standards, some local 'old' firms might be forced out of the game. And driven by market demand, there probably will be law firm merger waves."
"There will be more intense competition for the existing business opportunities, posing higher requirements for service capabilities, methods, and scope; the competition for incremental businesses will be among the large firms, specialized firms and international law firms. In many new fields, competitions and opportunities exist side by side – whoever makes achievements first will gain the leading position."
Jiang Dan, Grandall Law Firm
Speaking of the future, "there will be more intense competition for the existing business opportunities, posing higher requirements for service capabilities, methods, and scope. In many new fields, competitions and opportunities exist side by side – whoever makes achievements first will gain the leading position," Jiang says.
The regulations not only bring in more players, but, like other sectors, it also breaks the many "ceilings" at the institutional level in terms of the operations of law firms.
"The regulations result in innovations in the models of of law firms and relaxes requirements for the admission of partners in special general partnership law firms. In addition to practicing lawyers, other professionals such as certified public accountants are allowed to become partners of law firms," Du says.
"The regulations also draw on Singapore's legal system, encourages qualified law firms to implement corporate management, and allows the establishment of company-type law firms in accordance with relevant regulations," which is a breakthrough in the prevailing Lawyers Law, she adds.
"Furthermore, the Regulations also allows the representative offices of foreign firms and of law firms of Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR to be engaged in certain Hainan-related commercial non-litigation legal affairs according to relevant provisions. This is a unique policy given to Hainan by the central government. Hainan has and will surely become the test ground for the business models of law firms in China," Du says.
The release of the FTP Plan has boosted the appeal of Hainan for domestic and foreign investors and entrepreneurs. "Legal, accounting, taxation and other related third-party intermediary services play an indispensable role in terms of the application of policies, the implementation of projects, and enterprises establishment and development," Du adds.
Looking into the future, in Hainan, combining different types of services may become a major trend. "The combination of legal and consulting, accounting, taxation and other services will help to provide enterprises, especially start-ups and pioneering enterprises, with one-stop services, which is intensive and efficient for enterprises, and meanwhile can help law firms to enhance their core competitiveness," Du says.
To contact the editorial team, please email ALBEditor@thomsonreuters.com.
