(Economic Observer) What does the anti-foreign sanctions law mean for China to expand its opening up?

　　China News Service, Beijing, June 11 (Reporter Li Xiaoyu) The Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law was voted on at the 29th meeting of the 13th National People's Congress Standing Committee on the 10th.

In an interview with a reporter from China News Agency, a Beijing scholar said that this move will help manage and control external risks and facilitate high-level opening up.

　　According to this law, if a foreign country violates international law and basic norms of international relations, uses various excuses or in accordance with its own laws to contain and suppress China, adopt discriminatory restrictive measures against Chinese citizens and organizations, and interfere in China’s internal affairs, China has the right to take Corresponding countermeasures.

These countermeasures include non-issuance of visas, denial of entry, visa cancellation or deportation, sealing, seizure, and freezing of movable, immovable and other property in China.

　　Professor Huo Zhengxin of the School of International Law of China University of Political Science and Law said that an important background for the anti-foreign sanctions law is that the United States and other Western countries have recently used various excuses such as Xinjiang and Hong Kong to spread rumors, slander and contain and suppress China, especially in violation of international law. And the basic norms of international relations, in accordance with its domestic laws to impose so-called "sanctions" on China.

The purpose and purpose of China's enactment of this law is to safeguard its national sovereignty, dignity, and national interests, and it is also a manifestation of safeguarding international law.

　　"The adoption of this law does not mean that China's basic national policy of continuing to expand its opening up to the outside world has changed, and that foreign investors' normal investment and trade in China will not be affected." Huo Zhengxin said.

　　Li Qingming, an associate researcher at the Institute of International Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, also said that some countries politicize economic and trade issues at every turn and impose so-called "sanctions" on China. This is not only a gross interference in China's internal affairs, but also hinders the effectiveness of the international industrial chain supply chain. Operation is not conducive to building an open world economy.

　　He said that improving the ability to prevent external risks and safeguard national interests is an inevitable requirement and an important foundation for in-depth opening up.

China's passing of the anti-foreign sanctions law this time is not aimed at general market players, but refers to the actions of some countries infringing on China's national interests.

Not only will this not affect the normal economic and trade cooperation between Chinese and foreign companies, but it will also help control the external risks in the process of opening up from the legal level, and escort China's opening up.

　　In recent years, from the full implementation of the Foreign Investment Law and its implementation regulations, strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights, to continuing to reduce the negative list of foreign investment access, building the Hainan Free Trade Port, and taking the lead in completing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement "(RCEP) approval process, actively considering joining the "Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement" (CPTPP), China has been continuously expanding its high-level opening up.

　　These open actions have won investors "voting with their feet."

Under the epidemic situation last year, China became the world's largest foreign capital inflow country for the first time, and the absorption of foreign capital this year continued to maintain high growth.

　　According to official data, China's actual use of foreign capital in the first four months of this year has increased by 38.6% year-on-year and 30.1% year-on-year.

During the same period, China newly established 14,533 foreign-invested enterprises, a year-on-year increase of 50.2% and an increase of 11.5% over the same period in 2019.

　　With the continuous expansion of opening up and the successful economic recovery, China is becoming a "safe haven" for more and more companies to resist the impact of the epidemic.

The recent annual survey report of the European Chamber of Commerce in China shows that nearly 60% of European companies plan to expand their Chinese business in 2021, up from 51% last year.

　　Analysts predict that in the post-epidemic era, the world's economic recovery is unstable and unbalanced, and international investment competition is becoming increasingly fierce. In the future, China will make greater efforts to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, improve the business environment, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign companies.

　　In this regard, the official has issued a clear signal.

The Ministry of Commerce of China recently stated that the next step will be to strengthen communication with foreign-funded enterprises and foreign chambers of commerce, solve difficult problems reported by foreign-funded enterprises in a timely manner, and provide better service guarantees for foreign-funded enterprises.

In addition, it will further reduce the negative list of foreign investment access, promote the orderly opening of the service industry, and create more cooperation opportunities for enterprises from all over the world.

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