The National People's Congress, China's national legislature, held a news conference on Wednesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session.

Lou Qinjian, spokesman for the fourth session of the 14th NPC, briefed the press on the session.

China will continue to press ahead with high-level opening-up and use the Hainan Free Trade Port as a new gateway for global trade and investment liberalization, a spokesman for the country's top political advisory body said on Tuesday.

The remarks were made by Liu Jieyi, spokesman for the fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, at a news conference ahead of its annual meeting in Beijing.

Responding to a question on the global impact of the Hainan FTP's island-wide special customs operations launched late last year, Liu called the move as a landmark step underscoring China's commitment to high-standard opening-up and an open world economy.

He said the special customs operations had significantly enhanced trade liberalization and facilitation, improving links with international markets.

During the recent Spring Festival holiday, offshore duty-free sales in Hainan rose 30.8 percent from a year earlier, while the number of visa-free foreign arrivals increased 75.6 percent, Liu said.

The figures, he added, demonstrate tangible progress in facilitating the flow of goods and people.

The fourth session of the 14th NPC is set to begin on Thursday morning and conclude on the afternoon of March 12, spokesman Lou Qinjian said.

Throughout the session, three news conferences will be held concerning the economy, public welfare, and foreign affairs. On the sidelines of the meetings, various ministers will introduce developments in their sectors, and NPC deputies will share their experiences and stories of fulfilling their duties, the spokesman added.