[Explanation] Recently, the State Council issued the "Measures to Promote the Reform and Innovation of Trade and Investment Facilitation in Pilot Free Trade Zones" (hereinafter referred to as "Several Measures").
On September 3, the State Council Information Office held a regular policy briefing of the State Council. Wang Shouwen, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Deputy Representative of International Trade Negotiations, introduced the relevant situation and stated that the "Several Measures" are intended to give the pilot free trade zone greater reform autonomy.
[Explanation] "Several Measures" are targeted in five aspects: improving trade convenience, improving investment convenience, improving international logistics convenience, improving financial service real economy convenience, and exploring the judicial protection function of trade and investment convenience. 19 measures.
[Concurrent] Wang Shouwen, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Deputy Representative of International Trade Negotiations
This "Several Measures" gives the pilot free trade zone greater reform autonomy in the facilitation of trade and investment, with a view to further intensifying reform and innovation, and proposes 19 specific measures to promote the pilot free trade zone to make better use of reforms Demonstration and leading role of opening up the vanguard.
[Explanation] "Several Measures" clearly proposes to increase the opening up of investment in Hong Kong and Macao and promote the construction of open channels.
[Concurrent] Wang Shouwen, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Deputy Representative of International Trade Negotiations
Increase the opening up to Hong Kong and Macao investment, and delegate the approval authority for Hong Kong and Macao service providers to invest in the establishment of travel agencies in the pilot free trade zone from the provincial tourism authority to the pilot free trade zone.
Support the international airport of the city where the pilot free trade zone is located to use the fifth freedom rights, and allow foreign airlines to carry passenger and cargo business from the city to a third country on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.
[Explanation] It is understood that in the past 8 years since China established a pilot free trade zone, 21 pilot free trade zones have been established across the country. In order to support the development of pilot free trade zones, relevant departments have successively issued a number of policy documents.
Wang Shouwen said that the current effect is preliminary.
[Concurrent] Wang Shouwen, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Deputy Representative of International Trade Negotiations
In the first seven months of this year, the import and export volume of 21 pilot free trade zones accounted for 16.6% of the country’s total, an increase of 42% year-on-year, which is more than 10 percentage points higher than the national average.
In the actual utilization of foreign capital, the 21 pilot free trade zones accounted for 17% of the country's total, a year-on-year increase of 33.5%, which was also several percentage points higher than the increase in the country's absorption of foreign capital.
[Explanation] Wang Shouwen said that there is a clear time frame requirement for the specific opinions, methods, rules, and reform measures of the plan that need to be formulated in the "Several Measures", and it is necessary to promote the completion of the relevant parties within one year.
Reporter Jean Baokui reports from Beijing
Editor in charge: [Lu Yan]