China News Service, May 18, according to public opinion that some foreign-funded enterprises are considering transferring outwards. Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan said on the 18th that China has obvious advantages in using foreign capital. China has a rich and high-quality labor force. Resources, China has perfect industrial supporting capabilities, and China has a market of 1.4 billion people. Smart entrepreneurs will not give up the huge Chinese market.
On the 18th, the State Council Office held a press conference. At the meeting, a reporter asked: After the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, the production and operation activities of some foreign-funded enterprises were affected by the epidemic. Some public opinion said that some foreign-funded enterprises are considering outward transfers, causing some concerns about China's prospects for using foreign capital. What does Minister Zhong Shan think about this, and what measures will the Ministry of Commerce take to stabilize foreign investment?
Zhong Shan responded that the spread of the global epidemic is indeed affecting global transnational investment, and China's use of foreign capital is also facing huge challenges. Under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, there are three key tasks to stabilize foreign investment:
First, we must further open up. The more difficult it is, the more open it must be. Continue to relax market access, reduce the negative list, and expand the opening of the service industry. Some of these tasks are already being done, and some are about to start. Strengthen regional cooperative opening up, comprehensively promote the implementation of major strategies such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promote regional interactive opening, and drive full opening. Increasing the opening up of the central and western regions and old industrial bases, the development environment of these regions is getting better and better, and the state has many support policies for these regions to encourage more foreign investors to invest in the central and western regions and northeast old industrial bases .
Second, build an open platform. The free trade pilot zone and free trade port are the new heights of reform and opening up in the new era. These open platforms should be built and the leading role of demonstration should be played well. Since 2013, 18 Pilot Free Trade Zones have been established, and these 18 Pilot Free Trade Zones use foreign investment to account for 15% of the country, and have formed a batch of replicable and scalable test results. The next step is to expand the scope of the Pilot Free Trade Zone, give the Pilot Free Trade Zone greater reform autonomy, and promote the introduction of new opening measures. At the same time, further accelerate the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port.
Third, optimize the business environment. In recent years, China's business environment has been getting better and better. In 2019, China's business environment world ranking increased from 46th to 31st, which is a great progress. This year, we will focus on implementing the Foreign Investment Law, creating a fair competition market environment, protecting foreign investors ’legitimate rights and interests, protecting intellectual property rights, and enhancing foreign investors’ confidence in long-term investment in China, so that foreign investors are willing to come, stay, and develop.