CHINA: Unified Negative List to be Introduced in 2018

Tuesday December 12 2017

It has been reported that the People’s Bank of China (BoC) have indicated that following the pilots on Shanghai, Tianjin, Fujian and Guangdong free trade zones, China will implement a unified negative list nationwide in 2018.

The foreign invested-enterprise negative list of the free trade zones has been reduced to 95 items, from 190 in 2013.

Under the proposals, all market participants may enter all industries, except those on the negative list.

Following the proposed changes, the BoC have indicated that there will no longer be any distinctions made between State-owned or private, domestic or foreign and large or small enterprises.

Additionally, the BoC will strengthen regulation during and after the process instead of focusing on examination and prior approvals.