Releases updated versions of its two negative lists and encouraged foreign investment catalogue to promote foreign investment

On 30 July 2019, the Special Administrative Measures on Access to Foreign Investment (2019 edition), the Free Trade Zone Special Administrative Measures on Access to Foreign Investment (2019 edition), and the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment 2019 came into effect. The catalogues define which market access rules apply for different sectors in the overall territory and in the free-trade zones. The revised Special Administrative Measures on Access to Foreign Investment now contain 40 restricted and prohibited items, 8 items fewer than in the 2018 version. The changes lift foreign investment restrictions in specific segments of the agricultural, infrastructure, manufacturing, mining and service sectors. The Free Trade Zone Special Administrative Measures on Access to Foreign Investment now cover 37 industry items, 8 items fewer than the 2018 version. It particularly opens fishery and the printing of publications to foreign investors, thereby going beyond the degree of liberalisation at the national level. The number of items in the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment has been increased to 415, with 67 new items and 45 updated items compared with the 2017 version. More than 80% of the changes are in manufacturing industry categories.

• Type:

  • Entry and establishment (Ownership and control)

• Industry:

  • Not industry specific

• Sources:

  • Ministry of Commerce People's Republic of China, Decree No. 25 ~ No. 27 of the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce, http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/policyrelease/announcement/201907/20190702882752.shtml, 01 Jul 2019
  • Lexology, China releases updated versions of its two negative lists and encouraged foreign investment catalogue to promote foreign investment, https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=a5e2022e-eeb4-4a06-b2af-7d983611531a, 13 Aug 2019