On the afternoon of July 23, the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau, together with relevant departments, jointly convened a meeting to interpret The Action Plan of Beijing Municipality on Implementing New Opening-up Blueprint. Featuring a policy framework of "4 multiplies 4" ("4×4"), the newly formulated action plan is constituted by 4 major parts, namely, new height, new driving forces, new platforms and new mechanisms, with each part specifying 4 key tasks creating 16 in total. It will be jointly implemented by 37 municipal departments and functional zones of Beijing, 16 districts, and the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA). 

Carrying out the comprehensive pilot program in Beijing for wider opening-up in the service sector is a major strategic deployment made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council for a new round of opening-up and a new pattern of all-round opening-up. Beijing's comprehensive pilot program to facilitate opening-up in the service sector, four pilot free trade zones, and the liberalization of trade services between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and Macao SARs constitute China's multi-level, wide-ranging and large-scale pattern of opening-up in the service sector. Since such pilot program was first launched, 226 key tasks identified in the first version of the action plan have been fully implemented and 94 percent of 177 tasks specified in the new round of pilot program have been fulfilled. According to the evaluation of third-party agencies, around 120 practices have been acknowledged as ground-breaking and the most effective in furthering the opening-up in the service sector, fueling investment facilitation and trade liberalization, and optimizing the business environment. Additionally, these innovative practices and measures have been introduced in 6 batches to different areas nationwide and to pilot free trade zones. In doing so, a new path through which the opening-up in the service sector is complementary with the development of pilot free trade zones has been identified. This pathway has promoted the opening-up and innovative development of the service sector and the transformation and upgrading of economic structure, and has also provided a reference for the formulation of the new opening-up action plan.                        

Building a "1+3+N" New Development Pattern for Open Economy 

Highlighting a new height is the theme of the opening chapter of the Action Plan. The philosophy is to thoroughly upgrade the service sector and expand its opening-up based on the concept of "pilot free trade zone plus". By doing so, we aim to leverage the synergistic effect generated by the comprehensive pilot program and the building of pilot free trade zones and formulate an action plan to upgrade the service sector and further its opening-up. We put forth efforts to build a new development pattern for an open economy constituted by 1 pilot free trade zone, 3 integrated bonded zones, and several industrial parks with high-level openness, which are collectively referred to as "1+3+N".      

We will fully upgrade the service sector and expand its opening-up based on the concept of "pilot free trade zone plus". "Pilot free trade zone plus" refers to a synergistic effect generated when pilot free trade zone complements with Beijing's pilot program. For the policies implemented in pilot free trade zones for the opening-up in the service sector, as long as they are aligned with the positioning of Beijing, they can be piloted in Beijing as an effort to deepen the opening-up in the service sector after being approved in accordance with certain procedures. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council fully support Beijing replicating and promoting the experience summed up by successful pilot programs in four major pilot free trade zones in China. The action plan to upgrade the service sector and expand its opening-up should ensure full implementation of the management mechanism based on pre-establishment national treatment and negative list for foreign investment, and prioritize the further reform and opening-up of key areas. We should explore new models of opening-up based on what we have achieved in the opening-up in service sector. We should explore ideas regarding the opening-up of industrial parks and achieve the parallel breakthrough of the opening-up of service sector and industrial park. To this end, we should closely focus on key fields and regions so as to promote the opening-up of the industrial cluster chain, optimize the ecosystem for opening-up in the service sector, bring in high-quality resources from overseas, attract projects associated with the service sector to land and operate in those key regions, and use those key regions and key fields as the launchpad to fulfill the opening-up in the service sector of Beijing. Additionally, we should strive to reach new innovative heights in mechanisms and institutions. To achieve this goal, we should explore how to innovate the institutions in areas such as investment, trade, and supervision, increase the supply efficiency of factors such as capital, land, talent and data, and put forth efforts to implement the management mechanism of negative list for cross-border trade in services, land supply for industrial chain and other ground-breaking mechanisms in Beijing.                  

We aim to build a "1+3+N" new development pattern of open economy. "1" refers to one high- standard and high-quality pilot free trade zone. We will focus on key areas including scientific and technological innovation, digital trade and trade in services to achieve the facilitation in investment, trade, capital flow, and factor supply. In addition, we will issue the institutional innovation list for Daxing Airport Area of China (Hebei) Pilot Free Trade Zone on a phase-by-phase basis and delegate greater reform autonomy to it. "3" refers to three integrated bonded zones, with each of them having their own unique positioning. To further develop these bonded zones, first, we will accelerate the innovation and upgrading of Beijing Tianzhu Integrated Bonded Zone, with the priority placed on cultivating a strong medical and health care industry, expanding the volume of culture import and export trade, and increasing the import volume of mid and high-end consumer goods. Second, we will strive to ensure that Beijing Daxing International Airport Integrated Bonded Zone is approved as early as possible, operates as scheduled, and takes the lead in adopting integrated supervision mode in this port area. Thirdly, we will submit the application of the Beijing ETOWN Integrated Bonded Zone for approval and develop this area into a special supervision zone of customs empowered by scientific and technological innovation. "N" refers to 12 demonstration parks to carry out comprehensive pilot programs for wider opening-up in the service sector. Based on these demonstration parks, we will facilitate Zhongguancun Science Park to fully innovate itself in the process of opening-up and explore an innovative development model in which industrial parks and pilot free trade zones can complement each other.      

Highlighting New Driving Forces: Four Areas for Wider Opening-up in the Service Sector Including Financial Service and Digital Economy

Highlighting new driving forces is the theme of the second chapter of the Action Plan. We need to promote the opening-up and upgrading in four specific areas: financial service, digital economy, cultural tourism, and professional services. Based on the positioning of Beijing to be the national center of politics, national center of culture, national center of international exchanges, and national center of scientific and technological innovation, we will highlight advantageous and distinctive industries of Beijing and introduce more measures to promote the opening-up and reform of these four areas. In terms of expanding the opening-up of the financial industry, financial openness will be regarded as an important aspect in building Beijing to be the national center for financial management. It also speaks to priorities for the future development of the financial industry of Beijing such as managing global wealth, promoting an orderly cross-border capital flow, further aligning professional services in the financial market with international standards, and enhancing international cooperation in fintech innovation. In terms of digital trade, opinions on promoting the development of digital trade will be formulated and implemented through the process of establishing and perfecting the rules of digital trading, building demonstration zones for digital trade, and promoting digital technologies such as block chain to empower the whole process of production and trading. By doing so, we aim to build Beijing into a leading region of digital trade with its influence radiating to the rest of the world.         

In respect to the opening-up of cultural tourism, efforts will be put forth to promote international cultural exchanges and cooperation, and to expand the opening-up in the tourism industry overall. Particularly, it is noted in the Action Plan that we need to step up the implementation of innovative policies for the establishment of duty-free shops within Beijing city. Recently, the Wangfujing Group was granted the license to conduct retail business of duty-free goods. We will ride this momentum and encourage the Wangfujing Group to pilot this business mode and set up its duty-free shop in Beijing as soon as possible. In respect to professional services, we will pick up the pace to promote the synchronized opening-up and independent flow of resources and other factors of the professional services industry. We will also explore new ways to promote collaboration among professional services organizations in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macao in the areas of accounting, auditing, management, and consulting, and launch programs to pilot the mechanism of architect responsibility.    

Foster Three "Golden Business Cards" and Four Major Platforms for the Opening-up of Beijing

Highlighting new platforms is the theme of the third chapter of the Action Plan. We will strive to establish four major platforms for the opening-up of Beijing, namely, the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), twin airports, the ZGC Forum, and the Financial Street Forum. CIFTIS, the comprehensive pilot programs for wider opening-up in the service sector, and the Daxing Airport Area of China (Hebei) Pilot Free Trade Zone make up the three "golden business cards" for the opening-up of Beijing. According to the decisions and deployment made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, we need to make solid progress in preparation work and strive to build CIFTIS into the most influential and world-class fair for service trade. Next, we should fully leverage the role of the twin airline hubs as the major platform for the opening-up of Beijing by opening more international flights, building an international air cargo transportation system, and improving the capacity of high-end logistics. Moreover, we need to focus on innovation and development to strengthen the role of the ZGC Forum as a platform for high-level exchanges and cooperation in scientific and technological innovation. Last but not least, based on such areas as financial supervision, financial openness, Fintech, and financial governance, we need to build the Financial Street Forum as a platform to showcase our commitment and determination in the reform and opening-up of the financial industry.              

Centering on Four New Mechanisms Including Intellectual Property Right (IPR) and Trade Facilitation

Highlighting new mechanisms is the theme of the concluding chapter of the Action Plan. This chapter revolves around four mechanisms, namely, IPR, trade facilitation, investment facilitation, and human resources service. In terms of IPR, we should promote a diversified pattern to protect IPR, move forward with the legislation of IPR protection in Beijing, and enhance the law enforcement for IPR protection. In terms of IPR application, we should explore new ways to develop the platform for IPR trading, and establish the IPR financial innovation service system. In order to promote trade facilitation, we will expand the openness of the market and submit the application of building a national demonstration zone for the innovation of import trade for approval. Additionally, we will improve the IT application in customs clearance, expand the function of China International Trade Single Window and its field of application, extend IT application to the whole business handling process, adopt electronic freight management, and achieve paperless clearance and visualization of logistic tracking. To remove the barriers in the "two-way street" of investment, in terms of overseas investment, we will promote Beijing to play a bigger role for high-quality development of "Belt and Road Initiative", make unremitting efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of foreign trade cooperation, and launch an online comprehensive service platform for enterprises registered in Beijing to go out; in terms of foreign capital utilization, we should prioritize the introduction of service mechanisms on the access, promotion, management, and protection of foreign capital. Moreover, we will establish international cooperation industrial parks with a global vision and their own national characteristics. To optimize human resources services, we will establish a services system for foreign talents, optimize international medical services, education services, and other services closely related to daily life, and further align government service with international standards.

(Note: Content source is from bj.people.com.)