To stabilize foreign investment, several details of this briefing have profound meanings

　　China News Service, Beijing, March 21 (China News reporter Song Yusheng) "China's actual utilization of foreign capital will still be at a historically high level in 2023. Since the reform and opening up, China's actual utilization of foreign capital has continued to increase and has become an important investment destination for global multinational companies. ."

　　At the State Council’s regular policy briefing held by the State Council Information Office on the 20th, Wu Hao, Secretary-General of the National Development and Reform Commission, revealed China’s report card on stabilizing foreign investment last year.

　　In 2024, what other practical measures will China take to stabilize foreign investment? We can find out from the many details at this briefing.

  Screenshot of the live broadcast of the press conference

　　"If foreign-funded enterprises encounter any difficulties when enjoying the policy, they can report it to us to help us better promote the full release of policy dividends." Zhu Bing, director of the Department of Foreign Investment Management of the Ministry of Commerce, told foreign-funded enterprises at the briefing "Shout".

　　In 2023, the "Opinions of the State Council on Further Optimizing the Foreign Investment Environment and Increasing Efforts to Attract Foreign Investment" were released. This policy, known as the "24 Foreign Investment Articles", clearly states that actively attracting and utilizing foreign investment is an important part of promoting high-level opening up to the outside world and building a new open economic system.

　　"Foreign-funded enterprises have the best say in whether the '24 Foreign Investment Articles' are implemented well and have any effect." In January this year, the Ministry of Commerce proposed to understand the true thoughts of foreign-invested enterprises through questionnaire surveys and symposiums.

　　At the briefing on the 20th, Zhu Bing introduced that last month, we held a special roundtable meeting on the implementation of the "24 Foreign Investment Articles" and invited representatives from 9 foreign business associations in China and more than 60 foreign-invested enterprises. Many foreign-funded enterprises and chambers of commerce have affirmed the Chinese government's great efforts to improve the business environment, saying that the Chinese market has great potential and many opportunities, and they will deeply explore the Chinese market and continue to expand investment.

　　He promised that in the next step, the Ministry of Commerce will continue to work with relevant departments to promote the accelerated implementation of various measures, continue to evaluate the implementation of foreign investment policies, and promptly report progress to foreign-invested enterprises.

　　Zhu Bing also said that we will continue to give full play to the role of the special team for working on key foreign-invested projects, hold roundtable meetings for foreign-funded enterprises every month, and make good use of channels such as the "Collection and Handling of Issues and Complaints of Foreign-funded Enterprises" system to coordinate and resolve difficult demands of enterprises in a timely manner. We will also further strengthen the "full life cycle" service guarantee for key foreign-invested projects and promote projects to be launched, put into production and reach production as soon as possible.

　　In addition to asking foreign-funded enterprises for results, some departments are also listening to the opinions and demands of foreign enterprises and other relevant parties in advance before the policy is implemented.

　　Huazhong, head of the Department of Utilization of Foreign Capital and Overseas Investment of the National Development and Reform Commission, disclosed at the briefing that in accordance with the deployment of this year's government work report, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with relevant departments, has started revising the catalog of industries that encourage foreign investment. During the revision process, we will fully communicate with foreign chambers of commerce and foreign-invested enterprises through various forms such as on-site surveys and holding symposiums, and listen to the opinions and demands of all parties.

  Data map photo by Yang Bo

　　It is worth noting that while service is emphasized, win-win is also one of the key words of this briefing.

　　Wu Hao pointed out, "We believe that for multinational companies, walking with China is walking with opportunities, and investing in China is investing in the future."

　　Huazhong introduced that the National Development and Reform Commission is actively taking effective measures together with relevant departments to encourage and support foreign-funded enterprises to invest in China's green economy, digital economy and health industry, and to share China's ultra-large market opportunities with the Chinese market.

　　Just the day before, on March 19, the "Action Plan for Solidly Promoting High-level Opening to the Outside World and Making Greater Efforts to Attract and Utilize Foreign Investment" issued by the General Office of the State Council was officially announced. The "Action Plan" takes pragmatic measures to attract more foreign investment in terms of expanding market access, smoothing the flow of innovative factors, and aligning with international high-standard economic and trade rules.

　　Huazhong said that the "Action Plan" pointed out that free trade pilot zones such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong are allowed to select a number of qualified foreign-invested enterprises to conduct expanded opening pilots in the development and application of genetic diagnosis and treatment technologies; support information services (limited to applications Measures to open up areas such as shops) will be better implemented and more effective in the free trade pilot zone. The National Development and Reform Commission will work with relevant departments to implement the policy.

　　In this regard, Wu Hao pointed out that the introduction of the "Action Plan" once again demonstrated that we attach great importance to attracting foreign investment, strengthen positive interaction with the world economy with a high level of opening up, and enhance the confidence of foreign investors to invest in China with practical actions . (over)