Sweetening the Offer as Global FDI Bright Spot

tor, foreign trade, domestic investment and expectations.

“The Chinese economy’s high-quality development requires foreign investment to play a bigger role in research and development, technology, and capital and human resources,” said Hao Hongmei, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the ministry, according to 21st Century Business Herald. “This is where the new round of foreign investment policies can be highly instrumental.”

Hao referred to a recent guideline issued by the State Council on making better use of foreign investment with a focus on safeguarding the national treatment of foreign-funded enterprises. The guideline puts forward 20 policies in four aspects to create a more “fair, transparent and predictable” business environment for foreign investors.

The guideline reflects China’s latest efforts to facilitate foreign investment. China has introduced the pre- establishment national treatment plus a negative list management system and substantially eased restrictions on market access for foreign investors, with marked progress in improving the legal and policy framework.

“We are optimistic about achieving this year’s goal of stabilizing foreign investment,” Zong said, citing the pro-investment measures.

According to the latest World Bank report, China’s ease of doing business ranking rose to 31 this year from 46 last year, and it is also among the top 10 economies that improved the most on the ease of doing business index after implementing regulatory reforms.

“We are very pleased to see the Chinese Government’s continued efforts to provide foreign-invested enterprises a friendly and dynamic business environment, as well as vast possibilities in innovation,” said Jerry Wang, President of Siemens Healthineers Greater China.

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