The internationally renowned Philadelphia Orchestra opened its 2026 China Tour in Haikou on the evening of November 11, adding a new chapter to its musical friendship with Hainan. Earlier that day, Feng Fei, Secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee, met with a delegation led by Ryan Fleur, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Feng later attended the opening concert with Liu Xiaoming, Governor of Hainan Province, and other provincial leaders.

On behalf of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee and the provincial government, Feng welcomed the orchestra back to Hainan and praised its role as a cultural ambassador between China and the United States, as well as its contributions to people-to-people exchanges. He said that since the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) launched island-wide special customs operations on December 18 last year, the province has accelerated efforts to develop into an international tourism and consumption center. By integrating culture and tourism, Hainan aims to become a hub for international cultural exchange and cooperation and a leading global tourism destination. Feng noted that the orchestra's decision to open its 2026 China Tour in Hainan would further raise the FTP's international profile. He expressed hope for regular exchanges and cooperation with the orchestra in music education, live performances, and other areas, with the aim of developing a signature program for China-U.S. cultural exchange and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.

Fleur praised Hainan's progress in developing the FTP. He said the orchestra hopes to build on its performances in Hainan to foster deeper, lasting ties through music. The orchestra looks forward to strengthening its friendship with Hainan Province, advancing music education partnerships, and creating more opportunities for cultural exchange between China and the United States.

Pauline Kao, the U.S. Consul General in Guangzhou, and provincial officials Wang Bin, Bateer, Li Feng, and Xie Jing attended the related events. The orchestra will present another performance in Haikou on the evening of November 12.