The People's Government of Beijing Municipality and the Ministry of Commerce:

Your request for instructions on continuously carrying out and comprehensively promoting the pilot program of expanding opening-up in the service sector of Beijing Municipality has been received, and the official reply is hereby offered as follows:

I. It is hereby approved to continue carrying out and comprehensively promote the multifaceted pilot program of expanding opening-up in the service sector of Beijing Municipality for a period of three years from the date of approval. The Plan for Comprehensively Promoting the Multifaceted Pilot Program of Expanding Opening-up in the Service sector of Beijing Municipality (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan") is hereby approved in principle for your earnest implementation.

II. We shall take Xi Jinping's Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Year as the guidance, fully implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee, heighten the "awareness of maintaining political integrity, thinking in big-picture terms, keeping the CPC as the core of leadership, and acting consistently with the policies of the CPC Central Committee", have confidence in "our path, guiding theories, political system, and culture", resolutely "defend the status of General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core of the CPC Central Committee and the whole Party and defend the authority and leadership of the CPC Central Committee", follow the general principle of making progress while working to keep performance stable, uphold the new vision of development, unremittingly advance high-quality development, continue focusing on supply-side structural reform, and constantly deepen the market-oriented reform and elevate the opening-up to a higher level. We shall, based on the strategic position of the capital city, spare no efforts in advancing the reform of  "simplification of administrative procedures, devolution of powers, combination of devolution and regulation, and optimization of services" and the strategy of supporting the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, push the service sector to open wider to the outside world, create a world-class business environment, and stay committed to promoting an all-round opening-up.

III. The People's Government of Beijing Municipality shall strengthen the organization and leadership for the implementation of the Plan, make careful arrangements and take bold actions with risks under strict control, and gain more replicable and extensible experiences in expanding opening-up in the service sector and building an open and new economic system.

IV. The relevant departments of the State Council shall, based on their respective duties, take active measures to support Beijing Municipality in comprehensively promoting the multifaceted pilot program of expanding opening-up in the service sector. The Ministry of Finance shall, together with other departments, intensify guidance and coordination, organize and conduct supervision, inspection and assessment, and ensure that all measures for the reform and opening-up in the Plan be effectively implemented.

V.  Some provisions prescribed in relevant administrative laws and regulations, documents of the State Council and departmental rules approved by the State Council shall be temporarily adjusted in the process of the pilot program, and specific adjustments shall be separately issued by the State Council. The relevant departments of the State Council shall, in accordance with the Plan, adjust accordingly their respective regulations and normative documents. For major issues in the pilot program, the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and the Ministry of Commerce shall promptly report them to the State Council for instructions.

Annexes:

1. Plan for Comprehensively Promoting the Multifaceted Pilot Program of Expanding Opening-up in the Service Sector of Beijing Municipality

2. Measures for Comprehensively Promoting the Multifaceted Pilot Program of Expanding Opening-up in the Service Sector of Beijing Municipality

State Council

January 31, 2019

Annex 1

Plan for Comprehensively Promoting the Multifaceted Pilot Program of Expanding Opening-up in the Service Sector of Beijing Municipality

Since the pilot program of expanding opening-up in the service sector was launched, the People's Government of Beijing Municipality has striven to develop a basic framework for expanding opening-up in the service sector that meets the international norms, and to improve the development level of modern service sector and trade in services by revolving around the requirements for building an open and new economic system, and has generally achieved its expected effects. This Plan is formulated to push forward the opening-up in all respects and high-quality economic development, comprehensively promote the multifaceted pilot program of expanding opening-up in the service sector of Beijing Municipality, and give better play to the leading role of the multifaceted pilot program.

I. General Requirements

We shall take Xi Jinping's Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guidance, fully implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee, heighten the  "awareness of maintaining political integrity, thinking in big-picture terms, keeping the CPC as the core of leadership, and acting consistently with the policies of the CPC Central Committee", have confidence in "our path, guiding theories, political system, and culture", resolutely "defend the status of General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core of the CPC Central Committee and the whole Party and defend the authority and leadership of the CPC Central Committee", follow the general principle of making progress while working to keep performance stable, uphold the new vision of development, unremittingly advance high-quality development, continue focusing on supply-side structural reform, and constantly deepen the market-oriented reform and elevate the opening-up to a higher level. We shall, based on the strategic position of the capital city, abide by the internationally advanced rules, observe the negative list system, coordinate the opening-up at home and abroad, and work to develop a pioneering area for an open and modern service sector; constantly improve the development system and mechanism of service sector, incessantly build up the momentum and international competitiveness, and gradually establish an open system for service sector that complies with the international rules; create a stable, fair, transparent and predictable business environment, and form a new opening-up pattern in the service sector with a more open market, a more organized system, more effective supervision, and a better business environment; and strive to achieve more replicable and extensible results in innovation, and make contributions to the opening-up on all fronts.

II. Main Tasks

1. Maintaining the city's position as the political center and further strengthening its service support capability

We shall continue to place the political safety at the center, and create a safe and desirable political environment; improve the open economic security guarantee system, enhance the safety support capability, and strengthen the mechanism of ensuring industrial safety; serve the general purpose, and make all-out efforts to provide service guarantee for the state's major events; put focus on both efficient port supervision and strict border control, and provide stronger defense for port supervision; effectively forestall and defuse major risks, step up efforts to build a monitoring and pre-warning system for financial risks, optimize the supervision system, encourage information sharing  and coordinated supervision among different departments, industries and markets, and consolidate regional and international cooperation on supervision; and carry out the big data action plan in Beijing, ramp up the interconnection and sharing of relevant data between the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and the central state organs in such areas as public security (entry and exit administration), market regulation, customs, commerce, transportation, and financial supervision, advance the construction of a smart city, perfect the comprehensive risk assessment and pre-warning system for urban operations, satisfy the requirements of national security, provide better emergency response and precise governance capabilities, and efficiently guarantee the security of the state's political activities.

2. Focusing on building the city into a cultural center and enhancing its cultural strength and international influence

Encouraging the cultural industry to open wider to other countries. We shall, upon approval, seek to implement the pilot program of providing more opening-up measures for foreign investors in the cultural policy of free trade zones; select special areas with the concentration of cultural and entertainment enterprises, and allow them to establish solely foreign-funded performance brokerage institutions, which may provide services across the country; and continue to expand opening-up while strengthening supervision, remain committed to taking security as the bottom line, and step up interim and ex post supervision on the cultural markets.

Enabling international cultural exchanges in multiple forms. We shall improve the international exchange and cooperation mechanism in the cultural field, expand cooperation channels, develop a platform for cultural demonstration and exchanges, support the construction of Chinese culture centers overseas, and introduce the outstanding cultural achievements of foreign countries to China in an orderly manner; actively encourage cultural communication between China and other countries along the "Belt and Road", and deepen cultural exchanges between Beijing and its sister cities; support Chinese cultural enterprises in establishing joint venture publishing houses and art dealers outside China; organize a series of cultural activities including Chinese Culture around the World: Perception of Beijing, Beijing International Film Festival, Beijing International Book Festival, Exhibition of Beijing Excellent Motion Pictures and TV Shows, Beijing International Design Week, and Beijing International Music Festival; serve Beijing International Garden Expo 2019, open up green channels for this event so as to streamline customs clearance procedures; and support Beijing Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games 2022, install public bonded warehouses, and provide  guarantee for efficient entry of Olympic Games-related materials and  equipment at the customs houses.

Striving to promote trade of cultural goods and services. We shall focus on trade of cultural products such as cultural information, creative design, copyrights of games and animations, boost the export of  "culture+" products based on digital technologies and high-end services, and actively establish the National Base for Cultural Export, the National Base for International Cultural Trade (Beijing), and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Cultural Tourism Demonstration Base, etc.; shore up efforts to develop cross-border trade of cultural products, and build a public service platform for cultural trade; support the construction of trading markets for returned Chinese cultural relics from overseas; explore the establishment of cultural development foundations and the financial service innovation for trade of cultural products, and take active measures to cultivate new cultural business types; support the New Shougang High-end Industry Comprehensive Service Park in seeking to conduct such businesses as international trade on winter and outdoor sports gears, and speed up the establishment of a sports industry demonstration zone integrating special sports events, experiences of the world's trendy sports activities, and high-end services; and provide differentiated management services for directors, producers, performers and marketing personnel working on cultural export businesses for Chinese cultural enterprises and relevant professional teachers for vocational colleges (including technical schools) travelling abroad for official businesses, and promote international exchanges and cooperation.

3. Setting our eyes on the construction of international exchange centers and continuously optimizing the software and hardware environment for international exchanges

Reinforcing the functions of airports as an international hub. We shall encourage airports in Beijing to expand traffic right arrangements and attract international airlines to open round-way or stopover flights; implement the electronic manifest system for international transport businesses in all respects; and provide through-transport services for international flight passengers and their luggage transferred between international and domestic flights or between international flights; broaden the scope of passengers using self-service customs clearance, break the barriers of exit customs clearance, improve customs clearance environment, and constantly improve the core competencies of airports; and explore the  establishment of a visa system for medical treatment in China.

Shoring up the supply of international professional services. We shall encourage the professionally qualified experts in financial services, architecture and other fields to find jobs in Beijing; relax the  conditions for foreigners to apply for establishing an investment company, lower the total asset threshold of a foreign investor one year before the application to USD 200 million, and remove the requirements for the quantity of foreign-funded enterprises incorporated in China by a foreign investor; remove the relevant qualification requirements for a foreign-funded investor to be qualified as a certification body; further explore the method and mechanism of building close relationship between a Chinese law firm and a counterpart in a foreign country or Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan, and appropriately lower the requirement that a foreign lawyer work outside China for not less than three years in the pilot program of Chinese law firms retaining foreign lawyers to serve as foreign legal consultants; and establish international schools that admit both foreign and Chinese children.

Optimizing international exhibition services. We shall make China (Beijing) International Fair for Trade in Services a great success, bring in a new system and mechanism of holding the event, expand the exhibition scale, improve the exhibition quality, and enhance its international  influence; actively apply for sponsoring annual conferences of international organizations and relevant exhibition activities, and improve the reputation and international influence of the exhibition industry in Beijing; streamline the quarantine and approval procedures for international exhibits, and exempt certain exhibits from quarantine  and inspection (except as otherwise prescribed); allow exhibits to be filed for records in advance according to law, be released in the form of guaranty, and, after exhibition, and be carried over to a bonded venue under supervision or a zone under special customs supervision; and support exhibited vehicles to be reserved for sale after exhibition and be given convenience in display and trading.

Serving the "Belt and Road" initiative and international economic and trade cooperation. We shall put into effect the three-year action plan made by the People's Government of Beijing Municipality to promote the Belt and Road initiative, remain committed to the establishment of Beijing Belt and Road International Co-incubation ("ICI") and jointly build scientific and innovative parks with countries concerned; streamline the approval formalities for the operation of relevant international routes; pursue a mechanism of closer cooperative relations with Hong Kong and Macao, and join hands to develop the markets of countries along the Belt and Road; establish the Belt and Road think-tank and legal  service center, commercial arbitration center, and responsible  investment (ESG principles) management and service center, and build a national talent cultivation base for Belt and Road Initiative in Beijing; and support enterprises with independent brands and independent intellectual property rights to exploit the international market, strengthen international economic and trade cooperation, and create a service network for such cooperation in Beijing.

4. Assisting the construction of a scientific and innovative center, and creating a world-class ecosystem for business startups and innovation

Working to improve its capability of gathering global innovation resources. We shall encourage the telecommunications industry to open wider to outside world, and lift the limits on foreign stake in such value-added telecom services as store-and-forward services, domestic multi-party communication services, and Internet access services (limited to providing Internet access services to users) in the demonstration area and exemplary park for the pilot program of expanding opening-up in Beijing's service sector; adopt policies and measures to encourage the development of R&D centers of multinational companies, and take faster steps to attract international R&D centers and high-caliber talents; seek to optimize the guarantee services for scientific research  institutions to access pioneering websites for international academic exchanges according to the needs of scientific and technological research; bring in a new mechanism of international cooperation on science and technology, and speed up the process of helping service standards, market rules, laws and regulations in China to meet the international requirements, and integrating them into the global innovation network on a deeper level; and provide support for domestic enterprises to establish R&D institutions overseas, accelerate the implementation of intellectual property schemes in foreign countries, participate in the research and formulation of international standards, and expand their businesses to international markets.

Providing more convenience for customs clearance. We shall support the establishment of a R&D platform for the bio-medical industry with more convenience of customs clearance; and, for R&D testing vehicles temporarily imported by qualified enterprises of which inspection is not mandatory, allow the period of temporary import to be extended to two years according to testing needs.

Supporting the commercialization of technological achievements. We shall strengthen the overall coordination for the commercialization of technological achievements and the construction of a service platform on  all fronts, build a mechanism of in-depth cooperation between relevant entities and universities and scientific research institutions in Beijing, and provide efficient services to ensure these achievements be put in place properly in the city; and intensify efforts to support domestically registered enterprises to apply for intellectual property rights overseas.

Broadening the financing channels. We shall actively promote new pledge models of intellectual property rights, stock rights and relevant physical asset portfolios; perfect the operation of micro and small-sized businesses and the construction of public service platform for these businesses; explore the securitization of intellectual property assets; give play to the leading role of science and technology innovation funds, push  forward the cooperation between government and social capitals, encourage more investment from multiple sources in basic research and strategic technological R&D, and advance the profound integration of innovations, industries and capitals.

5. Pressing ahead with the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and forming a new pattern of coordinated opening-up across the region

Encouraging coordinated opening-up of industries. We shall explore the cooperation model of investment promotion at the industrial chain of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and establish a mechanism of risk pre-warning information sharing for overseas investment and cooperation; conduct the pilot program of medical device registrant system, allow a Beijing registrant to entrust a medical device producer in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region with the production of medical devices, and boost the development of a "registration + production" cross-region industrial chain; support qualified banks in setting up branches in such  areas as Beijing Daxing International Airport Economic Zone, Beijing Capital International Airport Economic Zone, and Beijing Municipal Administrative Center according to business principles; build a Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei intellectual property protection system, create a rapid rights protection system, and support professional intellectual property service institutions in setting up branch offices across Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province; and deepen the collaboration and cooperation in all aspects, such as enterprise credit information management and application.

Supporting the construction and development of Hebei Xiong'an New Area with premium services. We shall leverage the reputation and influence of "Beijing Services", and allow Beijing's high-end services to extend or move towards Xiong'an New Area; provide convenience in customs clearance for the significant materials and equipment required in the construction and development of Xiong'an New Area; take advantage of the 144-hour free-visa transit policy, and support the opening-up of this area in international business and tourism; and apply the advanced technologies developed in Beijing to Xiong'an New Area in an effort to help its urban construction and ecological environment protection, and promote the green development of this area.

Strengthening the leading role of airport economic zones. We shall combine the dual strengths of policies and functions, and make better use of the two engines for opening-up – Beijing Capital International Airport Economic Zone and Beijing Daxing International Airport Economic Zone; support the establishment of solely foreign-funded aircraft maintenance  enterprises; bring in a new supervision mode for the import of vehicles at the Beijing Capital International Airport; support the application for establishing a comprehensive bonded area as required; provide bonded maintenance and other services while ensuring effective supervision and risk control, and seek to allow qualified enterprises outside the areas under special customs supervision to provide pollution-free bonded maintenance services with high added value and advanced technologies that put both ends of the production process (the supply of raw materials and the marketing of products) on the world market; explore  the pilot program of warranty repair, subcontracting and regional transfer of aviation supplies, and encourage aircraft maintenance enterprises to undertake warranty repair, subcontracting, and maintenance services for aviation supplies; support the construction of a platform for sharing aviation supplies, and create a display and trading center for aviation supplies; develop a bonded logistics mode with the logistics chain of headquarters-based conglomerates as a unit, and speed up steps to promote the pilot program of bonded support project for the sharing of aviation supplies; and, according to actual needs, implement non-local delegated customs supervision on financing and leasing of large equipment in the areas under special customs supervision.

6. Adopting more solid policies for the development of Beijing Municipal Administrative Center, and building it into a pioneering pilot area for expanding opening-up in the service sector

Focusing on administrative office services. We shall delegate certain authorities to Beijing Municipal Administrative Center and develop it into a demonstration area for simplification of administrative procedures and devolution of power; invite think-tanks from both home and abroad to settle in the Sub-center, and create a concentration area of international think-tanks and top-end experts; and explore various ways of attracting world-class professionals to work in Beijing Municipal Administrative Center.

Focusing on culture and tourism. We shall steadily push forward the measures for expanding opening-up in cultural services, and allow solely foreign-funded travel agencies incorporated in Beijing to operate pilot outbound tourism businesses for Chinese citizens (excluding travelling to Taiwan).

Focusing on high-end businesses. We shall support Tongzhou Canal Business District in taking faster moves to undertake some commercial services and functions of Beijing's central urban areas and building itself into  an international and modernized business district; and, according to certain regulations, commend the valuable organizations, major projects and outstanding personnel for their marked contributions.

Pursuing innovative financial services. We shall, mutatis mutandis, apply the international standards and relevant provisions that aim to protect interests and rights relating to chattel mortgage; take steady moves to realize RMB capital account convertibility; actively support qualified  enterprises in the service sector in going public; actively encourage reform and innovation in green finance, work to find out green finance instruments, carry out the trading of pollution rights, water rights and energy-use rights, allow overseas investors to participate in green finance activities in accordance with laws and regulations, and support Beijing in building global green finance and sustainability centers;  explore the trading in futures, options and other derivatives that will  help the service sector to open up and the industrial chain to increase value; seek to improve the urban governance capabilities by establishing catastrophe insurance system and issuing catastrophe bonds; and provide more fund support to the construction of Beijing Municipal Administrative Center, and separately report the amount of the government bonds of it.

7. Reinforcing its functions as a financial administration center, and serving the reform and opening-up of the state's financial sector and improving its risk mitigation

Serving the reform and innovation in foreign exchange administration. We shall support multinational companies in conducting centralized operation and management of foreign exchange funds; allow such qualified financial institutions as financial companies and securities companies to conduct spot business of Chinese currency against foreign exchange and trading in derivatives after obtaining the qualification of future foreign exchange settlement and sales business; and support qualified financial  companies in carrying out buyer's credit and extending financial services for the industry chain.

Continuing to optimize cross-border RMB business. We shall encourage overseas investors to make direct investments and participate in the transfer of state-owned property rights in a domestic enterprise in RMB; and support the cross-border payment of employees' remuneration and alimony in RMB.

Driving the integration of the city's financial sector into the international market. We shall support the establishment of overseas RMB investment  and loan funds in Beijing; support qualified institutions in Beijing in carrying out the pilot program of overseas investment by qualified domestic limited partners, and allow qualified institutions to raise RMB funds from qualified investors and invest the raised funds in overseas markets; encourage qualified institutions to apply for Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor ("QDII") and RMB Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor ("RQDII") businesses; expand the scope of QDII to investment management institutions promoted and established in Beijing by domestic and international entities, including securities companies, fund management companies and futures companies; support fund products that meet the conditions in participating in mutual recognition of fund  products between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong; and encourage the world-renowned investment institutions and other venture capital investors to strengthen cooperation with financial institutions and explore new modes of financing technological services.

Expanding the opening-up of the financial market. We shall encourage qualified enterprises to go public and raise funds on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations ("NEEQ") or overseas markets; study whether to allow qualified overseas natural persons to invest in NEEQ-listed companies; support the development of the markets involving transactions of property rights and inter-institutional private placement products, and allow Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor ("QFII") to participate in market transactions; and encourage foreign corporate banks of a certain scale with stable operations to apply for participating in public market transactions.

Deepening international cooperation in financial innovations. We shall support the establishment of an exchange and cooperation platform in such areas as financial technology ("Fin-Tech") and green finance, strengthen Fin-Tech innovations in accordance with laws and regulations, actively support financing for carbon trading and environment rights trading, develop green financing instruments, and allow enterprises to issue green bonds overseas; and encourage foreign investors to acquire shares of local assets management companies.

Providing convenience for trade, investment and financing. We shall allow foreign banks to participate in customs clearance tax payment and tariff guarantee businesses for imported and exported goods; encourage reforms  in credit enhancement guarantee for an enterprise, the guarantee by a  finance company of an enterprise group and the issuance for guaranteeing  the payment of customs duties, and reduce the financing costs for  foreign trade companies; and conduct the pilot program of financial  leasing for copyrights, patents, trademarks and other intangible assets.

Creating an open financial environment with enhanced functions in multiple districts. Xicheng District shall work to improve the state's financial management and services, focus on Renminbi internationalization, financial technology, risk management and financial supervision, and actively undertaking the task of financial reform and opening-up; intensify efforts to build bonds-related infrastructure under the framework of overall supervision and construction plan for financial infrastructure; build a state-level Fin-Tech demonstration area; and explore the possibility of establishing a "sandbox" supervision mechanism based on laws and regulations, promote financial development and forestall financial risks. Haidian District shall work to improve the state's financing technological innovation center, step up the support for angel investment, venture capital and equity investment, and support the implementation of policies concerning trade facilitation under the capital account of Zhongguancun. Dongcheng District and Chaoyang District shall work to stay in the forefront of international financial opening-up, increase the charm to attract more foreign financial institutions, and take the lead in reaping the fruits of an open financial sector. Dongcheng District shall focus on building itself into a demonstration area for the state's cultural and financial cooperation, and play an exemplary role in innovating cultural and financial policies. Fengtai District shall work to develop the Lize Financial Business Area into an emerging financial function area, and put emphasis on the construction of a specialized market for financial institutions and services. Shijingshan District shall take the Beijing Insurance Industry Park as the core and speed up the construction of a state-level financial industry demonstration area. Fangshan District shall create an appealing and distinctive financial clustering area based on the concept of Financial Security Town and Fund Town. In addition, Shunyi District shall rely on the platform of Beijing Industrial Finance Center and work to promote industrial finance and offshore finance.

8. Enhancing the quality of consumer service sector, and serving the purpose of building Beijing into a world-class harmonious and comfortable place to live

Optimizing the supply of services. We shall guide all types of capitals to such areas as culture and tourism; implement the record-filing for the import of non-special-purpose cosmetics; take active measures to develop trade in traditional Chinese medical services, focus on traditional Chinese medicine health care, foster a new business type that integrates rehabilitation, healthcare, fitness and recreational tourism, and conduct such pilot programs as including preventive treatment of disease in the charged items of medical institutions and determining the charging rates; and relax the access of foreign donors in sponsoring non-profit elderly care institutions as private non-enterprise entities.

Introducing new business types and new modes. We shall move faster to see the development of integrated experimental zones for cross-border e-commerce, support the bonded stockpiling business for cross-border  e-commerce, and implement the pilot policies of bonded imports purchased online (Code of customs supervision mode: 1210); explore the import of certain pharmaceutical products through the cross-border e-commerce mode in accordance with the existing regulations; study the improvement of  taxation policies for duty-free stores in the city; innovate the supervision mode for such new business types as self-service supermarket  (convenience store); pursue the "Internet + healthcare" service mode; and take active steps to develop the sharing economy and attract the enterprises engaged in the sharing economy to move their head offices to Beijing.

9. Meeting the international rules and creating a first-class business operation environment

Putting into full effect the management system of "pre-establishment national treatment + negative list". We shall support Beijing in the pilot program of formulating opening-up measures for the access of foreign investors in the service sector (negative list) in its free trade zone, explore the possibility of further relaxing the access of foreign investors in the service sector, and increase the width and breath of opening-up; upgrade the mechanism for serving the administration of foreign-funded enterprises, optimize the recordation and registration procedures for the formation of foreign-funded enterprises, and bring in a new system to support the implementation of foreign-funded projects; and establish and improve the interim and ex post supervision system that is suitable for the negative list management mode.

Facilitating and standardizing overseas investments. We shall issue measures for the  management of overseas investments, improve the "one-window acceptance" platform for record-filing of non-financial overseas investing enterprises (investment projects), and optimize the mechanism of whole-process supervision; actively support the overseas investment management by means of "encouragement + negative list"; launch a green  passage" for overseas investments that comply with the national  policies, and promote the facilitation for overseas investments that are substantial and standardized; and explore the establishment of service centers in foreign countries for enterprises investing abroad, and improve the service assurance mechanism.

Enhancing the cross-border trade facilitation. We shall further expand the "Single Window" functions for international trade in China (Beijing), and extend its coverage to such areas as bonded goods under processing  trade, cross-border e-commerce and trade in services; explore the  improved market access system for trade in services under the modes of cross-border payment, overseas spending, and movement of natural  persons, and study the measures for further relaxing or lifting the  restrictions; improve the level of facilitating temporary imports related to trade in services, work to expand the scope of the carnet system (a system of Merchandise Passports) for temporarily imported goods, and extend the validity of the carnet; issue relevant policies for trade in services to support the outsourcing of high-end offshore services, such as the export of emerging services and import of key services; explore the improvement of statistics system in trade in services and put in place the statistical monitoring system; promote the use of paperless power of attorney for customs declaration, and support the management of electronic documents and certificates in trade sector; standardize and simplify the procedures of handling the licenses for imports and exports; further advance the pre-ruling at the customs and improve the predictability of trade activities; and intensify the comprehensive law enforcement and conduct one-time joint inspection by multiple departments.

Comprehensively optimizing and upgrading government services. We shall support Beijing  in adopting pilot measures for the reform of government services; implement the municipal government's three-year action plan to further optimize its business environment, and work to complete four exemplary projects in improving the business environment – namely, Beijing Efficiency, Beijing Services, Beijing Standards, and Beijing Credit; deepen the reform of business systems, and step up the reforms of  "integrating multiple certificates and licenses into one" and  "separating permits from business licenses"; introduce "e-register", a new mode of applying for business registration, push forward the electronic application during the whole process of registration, promote the use of electronic business licenses in a comprehensive manner, and significantly improve the efficiency of opening a business; seek to simplify the procedures of enterprise alteration registration, and further reduce the procedural documents used to determine the civil legal relationship during the alteration registration based on the credit commitment system; explore the possibility of further optimizing  and simplifying registration and deregistration procedures, expand the scope of application, shorten the period of notice, establish an error-tolerance system, and work to build an online special service area for enterprise deregistration based on an integrated government service platform; special windows for the acceptance of trademark registration shall be established, and acceptance sites for the registration of pledge of exclusive rights to the use of registered trademarks shall be set up, so as to handle various applications for international registration of trademarks under the Madrid system and other various applications for registration of trademarks and provide one-stop trademark registration, consultation and pledge services for enterprises; support enterprises in promoting their trademarks in overseas markets, ramp up efforts to protect their trademarks in foreign countries, and gradually sharpen the international competitive edges centered on reputable trademarks; endeavor to build a government credit assessment mechanism and take stronger special measures to resolve the government's dishonesty problems; and adopt more solid policies for expanding opening-up in the service sector, develop a database of enterprises in key sectors, create a list of policies and measures,  advance the construction of phase-II "Open Beijing" public information service platform, and build an exemplary system for expanding opening  up.

Creating a better environment for talent cultivation. Highly-skilled foreigners recruited by service enterprises and meeting certain conditions may enjoy convenience in services such as work permit, foreign talent visa (A-visa), social security and "green passage" upon approval of the regulatory department of foreign talents. We shall support the establishment of solely foreign-funded human resources service  institutions in Zhongguanchun; promote a system in which foreign talents with permanent residence in China can enjoy national treatment in establishing technological enterprises; implement the Several Measures for Deepening the Reform of Personnel Management in  Zhongguanchun and Building an Internationally Competitive Talent Attraction and Utilization Mechanism, broaden the scope of application, and carry out the measures for the reform of exit-entry administration of foreign talents in the demonstration area for the multifaceted pilot program of expanding opening-up in the service sector throughout Beijing; facilitate the use of foreigners' permanent residence certificates in the local community of Beijing; encourage the employers to offer enterprise annuities to high-level foreigners according to regulations; allow foreign talents, when they leave their jobs for home countries, to choose to withdraw their social security funds paid in Beijing and terminate the social insurance relations, or maintain their social insurance relations and continue to calculate the social security funds when they come back to work in China; speed up the establishment of international talents communities in such areas as Chaoyang Wangjing, Zhongguancun Avenue, Future Science Park, and New Shougang High-end Industry Comprehensive Service Park, provide high-quality and international supporting services such as  education, healthcare, residence, cultural, sports and recreational facilities, create a one-stop comprehensive service platform, and launch the platform of "one-window acceptance and unified issuance of certificates", a new mode of handling personal matters; conduct overseas trainings for civil servants on expanding opening-up in the service sector in a steady and orderly manner; and advance the construction of think-tanks and build think-tank forces with an international vision and strategic awareness.

Creating a fair and transparent legal environment. We shall focus on the implementation of competition policies, step up the review to ensure fair competition, intensify the law enforcement against monopoly and  unfair competition, break the barriers of administrative monopoly, prevent market monopoly, and clear up and abolish all regulations and practices having hampered the formation of a unified market and fair competition; establish and improve a complaint mechanism for foreign-funded enterprises, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors; provide patent pre-examination services  for key industries, and realize rapid examination and confirmation of patents; open a "green passage" for online examination and handling of patents, and improve the efficiency in patent examination; explore the guarantee insurance for intellectual property pledge financing; ramp up the punishment on intellectual property infringements, perfect the diversified intellectual property right dispute resolution mechanism, and press ahead with the rapid response mechanism to intellectual property protection; maximize the role of intellectual property courts, enhance the judicial protection system for intellectual property rights, and increase the costs for any infringement; and, based on the nationwide credit information sharing platform, upgrade the mechanism of information integration and sharing on Beijing's public credit information service platform, reinforce the use of the national enterprise credit information publication system, and construct a credit supervision system centered on credit commitment, joint reward and punishment, and information publication.

III. Organization and Implementation

Under the leadership of the State Council, the People's Government of Beijing Municipality shall organize the implementation of the Plan according to its initial objectives and assigned tasks, and take solid steps to put into practice all measures mentioned in the Plan. Relevant policies and measures including 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 (No. 81 [2015], the State Council) and 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 Industry of Beijing Municipality (No. 86 [2017], the State Council) shall continue to be effective; and where the above Official Replies are inconsistent with any provisions of the Plan, the latter shall prevail.

The relevant departments under the State Council shall take respective duties, strengthen coordination and guidance, give active support, and join forces to promote opening-up and development. The Ministry of Commerce and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality shall work together to follow up and supervise the pilot programs and sum up  experiences, ensure that all measures be effectively implemented, and  promptly spread and share the success stories; sort out and study the  new circumstances and new problems arising from the pilot programs, continue to adjust and refine the measures, and report major issues to the State Council for instructions in a timely manner.

Annex 2

Measures for Comprehensively Promoting the Multifaceted Pilot Program of Expanding Opening-up in the Service Sector of Beijing Municipality

(All information in this document is authentic in Chinese. English is provided for reference only. In case of any discrepancy, the Chinese version shall prevail.)