The people's governments of all districts; all the commissions, offices and bureaus of the municipal government; and all departments of the municipal government:

For the purposes of further implementing the Notice of the State Council on Several Measures for Expanding Opening Up and Vigorously Using Foreign Capital (No. 5 [2017], State Council) and the Notice of the State Council on Several Measures for Promoting Growth of Foreign Investment (No. 39 [2017], State Council), further expending opening up, focusing on creating a law-based, internationalized, and facilitating investment environment, improving the quality of the city's use of foreign capital, and promoting the high-quality development of economy, the following opinions are hereby offered.

I . General requirements

The spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress shall be studied and implemented in a comprehensive and in-depth manner, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in a New Era shall be taken as the guidance, the new development concept shall be unswervingly implemented, the strategic orientation of the capital city shall be firmly grasped, and the new normal of economic development shall be actively adapted to, so as to further expand the opening up, liberalize market access, optimize the business environment, continuously raise the level of foreign capital utilization, promote reform, development, and innovation through opening up, accelerate the establishment of a new open economic system, and provide strong support for achieving high quality development.

II . Further intensifying the efforts in opening up

1. Advancing in depth the comprehensive pilot program of expanding the opening-up of the service sector. The opening-up tasks determined in the Official Reply of the State Council on the Framework Plan for the Comprehensive Pilot Project of Opening-up of the Service Sector in Beijing (Reply No. 81 [2015], State Council) shall be fully accomplished, the implementation of the new round of opening-up measures determined in the Official Reply of the State Council to the Plan for Deepening the Reform and Promoting the Comprehensive Pilot Program of Expanding Opening-up in the Service Sector of Beijing Municipality (Reply No. 86 [2017], State Council) shall be advanced at a faster pace, and the restrictions on the access of foreign capital to six priority fields including scientific and technical services, Internet and information services, cultural and educational services, financial services, business and tourism services, and health care services shall be further relaxed.

In the aspect of producer services, foreign investment in the air transport sales agency industry shall be allowed; the qualification requirements for foreign-funded construction and engineering design companies shall be relaxed, and the requirement for the proportion of foreign technicians shall be removed; the foreign capital's access threshold for investment companies and intermediary agencies for talents shall be further lowered; and more foreign-funded corporate banks and insurance companies shall be attracted to develop in Beijing, and the development of joint venture securities companies shall be supported.

In the aspect of life services, foreign investors shall be allowed to invest in audio-visual product production business in specific regions (such as the Beijing National Music Industry Base, the Beijing Publishing Creative Industry Park, and the Beijing National Digital Publishing Base); foreign investors shall be allowed to invest in and establish entities operating performance venues and entertainment venues in specific regions with cultural and entertainment industries clustered together free from restrictions on the proportion of investment; foreign investors shall be encouraged to invest in tourism, participate in the development and construction of commercial tourist attractions (scenic spots), and invest in tourism goods and facilities; foreign institutions and foreign-funded enterprises established in China according to the law shall be supported in setting up schools for the children of foreign nationals in Beijing in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations; qualified drugs researched and developed in foreign countries shall be allowed to put into clinical trials in Beijing; and foreign-funded enterprises shall be encouraged to set up for-profit elderly care institutions, elderly care institutions providing medical care service, community service stations for the elderly, and professional care services in Beijing so as to provide diversified services for the elderly.

III . Optimizing the structure of using foreign capital

2. Supporting the development of regional headquarters of transnational corporations in Beijing. The regional headquarters of transnational corporations in line with the strategic orientation of the capital city shall be supported in settling in Beijing; transnational corporations shall be encouraged to physically conduct research, development and design, financial settlement, centralized procurement, international marketing, customs clearance services, centralized fund operations, and other business in Beijing; and the regional headquarters of multinational corporations shall be supported in participating in urban public service facilities, infrastructure construction, and government procurement projects. The regional headquarters of multinational corporations shall be actively provided with policy guidance and risk warnings so as to help them solve the difficulties and problems encountered in the course of development in Beijing.

3. Encouraging foreign-funded enterprises to conduct research and development and innovation in Beijing. Foreign-funded enterprises shall be supported in establishing research and development centers and applying for the establishment of post-doctoral scientific research studios in Beijing. Foreign-funded research and development centers shall be encouraged to carry out high-level research and development activities in Beijing and participate in the scientific research projects of the country and the city and the building of innovation and entrepreneurship platforms. The entry and exit approval procedures for special items necessary for the research and development in priority fields such as biomedicine shall be simplified. The preferential policies such as weighted deduction of research and development expenses for foreign-invested enterprises shall be effectively implemented. The work of determination of research and development centers of foreign-funded enterprises shall be improved, and recognized research and development centers may enjoy preferential policies such as the full refunding of value-added tax on the purchased equipment manufactured in China.

4. Encouraging foreign investment in sophisticated industries. On the premise of compliance with the Catalog of Industries for Guiding Foreign Investment and relevant policies and regulations, foreign investors shall be supported in participating in the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry. Foreign investors shall be encouraged to invest in new generations of information technology, integrated circuits, intelligent equipment, drugs and health, energy conservation and environmental protection, new energy and smart vehicles, new materials, artificial intelligence, software and information services, technology services, and other industries to boost the building of a sophisticated economic structures.

5. Lifting the level of using foreign capital in priority regions. With science and technology innovation, achievement transformation, financial services, and business services as priorities, the clustering of innovative elements shall be accelerated, and the level of using foreign capital in functional areas such as the Zhongguancun Science City, the Huairou Science City, the Future Science City, the Beijing Yizhuang Economic and Technological Development Zone, the Beijing Urban Sub-Center, Central Business District, and Financial Street shall be raised. Qualified enterprises in Zhongguancun Science Park's Software Park, Life Science Park, Animation Park, and other parks shall be supported in setting up bonded warehouses to facilitate customs clearance. The power of investment administration shall be fully vested in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone to support it in actively using foreign capital to expand the industry development space and promote industry transformation and upgrading. Foreign-funded enterprises shall be supported in participating in the city's infrastructure construction by means of franchise.

IV . Creating a good business environment

6. Simplifying the procedures for foreign-funded enterprises. "Integrating certificates into one" shall be continuously advanced, approval matters shall be streamlined, and the time limit for approval shall be shortened; the mode of "single form and one-window acceptance" in commercial registration and industrial and commercial registration of the establishment of foreign-funded enterprises shall be comprehensively promoted; and the pilot program policies such as the reform of the name registration system allowing industrial and commercial registration applicants to autonomously file applications and the reform of the business scope registration system shall be gradually extended to priority areas of the service sector. The establishment of China (Beijing) International Trade "Single Windows" shall be accelerated to further increase the efficiency of customs clearance and inspection release. The transformation of the modes of the administration and use of foreign exchange shall be explored, and the negative list administration model shall be put into practice on a trial basis; the headquarter enterprises of multinational corporations shall be supported in the centralized operation and management of foreign exchange funds; and the will-based settlement of the foreign exchange capital fund of foreign-funded enterprises shall be fully implemented so as to raise the efficiency of foreign-funded enterprises using foreign exchange funds.

7. Strengthening the intellectual property protection. The overall coordination of the intellectual property protection shall be intensified, and a patent arbitration and dispute mediation mechanism shall be established. The law enforcement mechanisms for intellectual property shall be refined, and the transition from administrative law enforcement to judicial protection shall be promoted, so as to severely punish illegal acts of infringement. A Capital Intellectual Property Protection Dispatch Center shall be established, and the construction of intellectual property reporting and complaint centers shall be accelerated so as to provide legal advice and right protection and assistance services for enterprises.

8. Innovating the means of enterprise regulation. Departmental coordination shall be strengthened, and the Beijing Public Credit Information Service Platform and the Beijing Enterprise Credit Information Network shall be depended on to shift the focus of regulation from paying attention to market access to enhancing interim and ex-post regulation and provide joint incentives for enterprises with good credit.

9. Improving the level of foreign investment services. The complaint mechanism for foreign-funded enterprises shall be perfected to coordinate the resolution of outstanding issues reported by overseas investors, intensify the protection of foreign-funded enterprises enjoying post-establishment national treatment, and strive to create a unified, open, competitive, and orderly market environment. Enterprise-related fees or charges directory system including administrative charges, government funds, and enterprise-related charges for commercial services priced by the government shall be established.

10. Establishing a business environment assessment mechanism. The business environment assessment index system shall be developed and improved, and third-party institutions shall be commissioned to conduct regular assessment of business environments in all districts and publicly release reports on assessment results in the press, so as to escalate pressure. All district governments and relevant municipal departments shall, based on the assessment results, research and develop corrective measures in a timely manner and fix weakness without delay.

V . Improving the services for foreign talents

11. Facilitating the exit and entry of foreign talents. The exit and entry policies and measures by which the Ministry of Public Security supports the innovative development of Beijing and the exit and entry measures for demonstrating zones under the consolidated pilot program of expanding the opening-up of the service sector shall be thoroughly carried out; and the layout of foreign immigration service halls in the city shall be further optimized to facilitate foreign talents in applying for permanent residence in China, long-term visas, port visas, and other matters.

12. Support the development of foreign talents in Beijing. The determination and incentives policies for high-level foreign talents and urgently-needed foreign talents that meet the development needs of the priority fields for expanding the opening-up of the service sector shall be improved. The support for foreign talents in project applications, achievements promotion, financing services, and other aspects shall be strengthened, foreign experts shall be supported in leading or participating in major municipal and national science and technology plans (projects), and the pilot program of foreign talents serving as legal representative of new scientific research institutions shall be launched. Qualified foreign talents shall be provided with professional services for their practicing in Beijing.

13. Improving the social security services for foreign talents. The supply of foreign-related health care services shall be increased, and the development of various forms of international health care insurance shall be encouraged, so as to improve the health care services for foreign talents. A social security contributions rollover and continuance mechanism for foreign talents shall be explored, and the achievement of the harmonization of social security for foreign talents in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region shall be promoted. Foreign talents shall be allowed to withdraw the funds in their personal accounts in a lump sum when they leave their jobs for their home countries. Employers shall be encouraged to set up supplementary pension insurance for high-level foreign talents in accordance with the provisions issued by the state.

14. Optimizing the life services for foreign talents. A specialized website consolidating government affairs services and social services for foreign talents shall be established, and the construction of an international talent community shall be accelerated, so as to create a convenient international working environment for foreign talents. The children of qualified foreign talents shall be supported in being enrolled in the nearest schools. Housing security shall be heightened, and eligible foreign talents shall be allowed to buy commercial housing in Beijing and undergo property registration formality. Eligible foreign talents shall be allowed to apply for the lottery-based allocation of general passenger car plate numbers and queuing-based allocation of new energy passenger car plate numbers.

VI . Improving the working mechanisms

15. Strengthening organization and leadership. A joint meeting for the use of foreign capital in Beijing Municipality shall be established to strengthen the research and coordination in relation to major issues and carry out supervisory inspection and evaluation; and the joint meeting office shall be established at the Municipal Commission of Commerce. All districts and all relevant departments and entities shall pay great attention to the work of using foreign capital under new conditions, clarify the division of labor, implement responsibilities, closely collaborate, join forces, accelerate the issuance of specific measures to support the development of foreign investment, build a professional investment promotion team familiar with policies, proficient in business, with strong career-ambition and an open vision, regularly listen to the opinions and recommendations of foreign-funded enterprises, promote the resolution of key and difficult issues drawing the extensive attention of foreign-invested enterprises, and continuously raise the level of using foreign capital.

16. Building investment attraction platforms. The major opportunities such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the preparation of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and Winter Paralympic Games, the preparation of the World Horticultural Exposition 2019 Beijing, the building of the Beijing Urban Sub-Center and the new airport shall be seized, and the China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services, the Beijing Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium, the Meeting of International Business Leaders Advisory Council for the Mayor of Beijing, and other platforms shall be used to advance the use of foreign investment in depth. A mechanism of communication and exchange with institutions, business associations, consulting companies, and intermediary organizations in China shall be established to collect information in a timely manner and meet the investment cooperation intentions and the needs for economic and trade exchanges. A major project coordination mechanism shall be established to effectively provide tracking services and achieve precision investment promotion. The collaborative investment promotion in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei shall be dynamically advanced, and a regional investment promotion platform shall be built jointly.

17. Strengthening policy publicity. All districts and all relevant departments and entities shall, based on the city's unified arrangements for and their respective actual circumstances of the use of foreign capital, develop publicity and promotion proposals for the use of foreign capital, take full advantage of government websites and various domestic and foreign media, open special editions and columns, produce feature programs, and widely publicize and accurately interpret the policies and advantages of the city expanding opening up and using foreign capital, so as to create a favorable atmosphere of public opinion and attract foreign investors to invest and develop in Beijing.

Beijing Municipal People's Government

March 15, 2018