The Mechanism of Rule Alignment between the Hainan Free Trade Port and ASEAN

Abstract

Rule alignment between the Hainan Free Trade Port and ASEAN is a dynamic governance process in which different rule systems move from coexistence toward compatibility under conditions of institutional heterogeneity. Building on the conceptualization of rule alignment and the “institutional interface,” this paper constructs an analytical framework of “factor flows—actor coordination—institutional diffusion” from the perspectives of institutional complexity and cross-domain collaborative governance, and examines the practical forms of alignment in such fields as goods trade, investment and trade in services, personnel qualifications, and the digital economy. The study finds that cross-border factor flows continuously render institutional frictions visible and generate demands for alignment; multiple governance actors form rule connections through coordinated interaction; and functional platforms drive the diffusion of institutional innovation through pilot experimentation. Current problems include bias in demand identification, fragmentation of actor coordination, and insufficient transformation of pilot outcomes. The effectiveness of rule alignment should therefore be improved through demand feedback, tiered coordination, and evaluation-diffusion mechanisms.