Chen Lei, Director of the Development Strategy and Planning Department of the National Development and Reform Commission: Promote the orderly expansion of openness in telecommunications, the Internet, education, culture, healthcare, and other fields

Chen Lei, Director of the Development Strategy and Planning Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, stated at a briefing by the State Council Information Office that in recent years, China’s level of opening up to the outside world has continued to improve. The negative list for foreign investment access has been reduced to 29 items, and restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector have been fully “cleared.” Moving forward, the focus will be on expanding market access and opening up in the service sector, promoting orderly opening in areas such as telecommunications, the internet, education, culture, and healthcare, and advancing comprehensive pilot demonstrations for expanding service industry openness. The negative list for foreign investment access will be shortened, allowing foreign-invested enterprises to have a “wider” investment space in China. At the same time, efforts will be made to create diverse open highlands. At the end of last year, Hainan Free Trade Port officially launched island-wide customs closure operations. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the level of openness in key areas such as trade, investment, and factor flows will continue to be improved. The strategy to upgrade free trade pilot zones will be implemented, encouraging qualified free trade zones to carry out more pioneering initiatives in areas like digital economy, technological innovation, and offshore trade. (Cailian Press)