China.org.cn | December 9, 2024
Speakers:
Mr. Luo Wen, minister of the State Administration for Market Regulation
Mr. Wang Jiangping, vice minister of industry and information technology
Mr. Hu Weilie, vice minister of justice
Ms. Cong Lin, vice minister of the National Financial Regulatory Administration
Chairperson:
Ms. Shou Xiaoli, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
Oct. 14, 2024
Shou Xiaoli:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning! Welcome to today's press conference organized by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). We are delighted to have Mr. Luo Wen, minister of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), to brief you on efforts to step up support for enterprises, and to answer your questions. We are also joined today by Mr. Wang Jiangping, vice minister of industry and information technology; Mr. Hu Weilie, vice minister of justice; and Ms. Cong Lin, vice minister of the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA).
Now, I will give the floor to Mr. Luo Wen for his briefing.
Luo Wen:
Good morning, everyone. On Sept. 26, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a meeting to outline a comprehensive package of incremental policies for the next stage of economic development. On Sept. 29, the State Council convened for a special meeting to discuss how these policies would be implemented. The decisions made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council clearly demonstrate their dedication to addressing the concerns of businesses and invigorating the vitality of market entities. In line with these directives, I, along with my colleagues from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and the NFRA, will present the specific policies and measures our departments have formulated to support businesses. We will also answer your questions. Let me elaborate on six key areas.
First, we will provide targeted support to various business entities. We aim to address the practical challenges faced by small and micro enterprises in their daily operations and continue to intensify targeted assistance for self-employed individuals. Efforts will be made to promote the coordinated development of platform companies and the businesses they host. We will soon introduce specific measures to guide platform companies in leveraging their user base for positive outcomes and in supporting the development of small and micro enterprises. Furthermore, we will actively help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that possess competitive advantages to enhance their capabilities for innovation and specialization, accelerating the high-quality development of innovative SMEs that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products, as well as "little giant" enterprises with high growth potential.
Second, we will effectively and significantly alleviate the burdens that businesses face. We are committed to reducing the cost of systemic transactions by advancing reforms designed to streamline how tasks are completed—from a cumbersome process requiring multiple locations, windows and visits to a simplified one that can be accomplished in a single location through a single window and in one visit. Special efforts will be made to lighten the load on businesses by focusing on both key entities that charge fees as well as critical industry sectors. This includes conducting targeted inspections and random checks on improper fee collection from businesses as well as expediting the process of refunding these fees to provide immediate financial relief to businesses. Moreover, we are dedicated to enhancing the ongoing regulatory mechanisms related to business fees, advocating for the revision of regulations that ensure timely payments to SMEs and rigorously protecting the legitimate rights and interests of businesses.
Third, we will foster a fair, competitive market environment. In response to local protectionism and market segmentation, we will roll out and implement more rigid and enforceable institutional measures. We will accelerate the revision of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law to prevent and deter unfair competitive practices. We are also committed to robustly enforcing the Fair Competition Review Regulations, eliminating policies and measures that undermine a unified market and fair competition. This will further unleash the potential of China's vast market scale. Additionally, we will intensively manage market order, specifically targeting illegal activities such as intellectual property infringement, the misappropriation of trade secrets as well as the production and sale of counterfeit goods. We will enhance the dynamism of business development by maintaining a well-ordered market.
Fourth, we will strengthen supportive resources for business entities. The NFRA will push financial institutions to increase their support for the real economy, quickly improving the mechanisms for coordinating financing support for small and micro enterprises, and helping to alleviate their funding challenges. The SAMR will collaborate with other departments to introduce innovative quality financing and credit enhancement policies, promoting mechanisms based on companies' technological capabilities and quality qualifications to improve the accessibility and convenience of financing for small businesses. The MIIT will actively provide SMEs with one-stop services, including talent acquisition, financing support and digital enablement, fully helping enterprises reduce costs, improve efficiency and enhance quality.
Fifth, we will firmly protect the legal rights of business entities. We are accelerating the implementation of a law on private sector promotion to guarantee equal treatment and protection for private enterprises, fostering an optimal environment for the growth of the non-public sector. We will effectively implement the Regulations on Optimizing the Business Environment, aiming to lift restrictions on the market while ensuring effective regulation. In response to issues like unfair market access barriers and restrictions on businesses relocating across regions, we will quickly develop and introduce effective measures that address the concerns of business entities. Additionally, we will conduct thorough evaluations and clean ups of legal and regulatory policies impacting businesses, eradicating any discrimination or differential treatment based on ownership, size or geographic location.
Lastly, we will standardize law enforcement and supervision related to businesses. The MOJ will strengthen oversight of administrative law enforcement concerning businesses, actively promoting strict, procedure-based, impartial and non-abusive law enforcement. We will address prominent issues in administrative law enforcement and improve communication mechanisms for handling business-related appeals. The process for handling administrative reconsideration cases involving businesses will be expedited. We will ensure that administrative agencies perform their duties in accordance with the law. The SAMR will accelerate the introduction of specific initiatives for service-oriented law enforcement. This will involve establishing standards for administrative actions and increasing the usage of flexible approaches such as warnings and guidance. Services will be incorporated throughout the entire regulatory and enforcement process to effectively guide businesses towards lawful and compliant operations.
This concludes my briefing. Thank you!