China's First Right-Hand Drive Vehicle Public Road Testing Site Launches in Hainan

On July 3, China Automotive Technology & Research Center (CATARC) and the Hainan Provincial Government launched the China-Hainan–ASEAN Automotive Testing and Calibration Cooperation Project in Haikou’s Jiangdong New Area, marking the official establishment of China’s first open-road testing pilot zone dedicated to export vehicles. This facility fills a critical gap in China by providing a large-scale road-testing environment specifically designed for right-hand-drive vehicles, enabling automakers to complete the full vehicle calibration process in Hainan under conditions that replicate ASEAN road infrastructure, climate, and regulatory requirements. Hainan Free Trade Port features a hot and humid tropical climate similar to that of Southeast Asian countries, making it ideal for vehicle durability testing. Its geographical proximity to ASEAN, combined with convenient maritime logistics and preferential policies under the free trade port framework, offers institutional advantages for the import clearance of test vehicles and components. Leveraging these strengths, Hainan aims to build a mutual recognition platform for automotive testing and certification between China and ASEAN, establishing itself as a regional hub for automotive testing and calibration services targeting Southeast Asia. In 2025, China exported 7.098 million vehicles, up 21.1% year-on-year, ranking first globally. The ten ASEAN countries collectively sell over 3 million vehicles annually, with major markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand all being right-hand-drive nations. Notably, electric vehicle sales in these markets have surged by nearly 50%. With this new testing base now operational, the entire R&D, testing, and calibration process for right-hand-drive models can be completed domestically within a closed loop, providing essential infrastructure support for Chinese automotive brands to enter ASEAN markets at scale.