Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Pu Chun, vice minister of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and administrator of the National Certification and Accreditation Administration

Mr. Ren Duanping, director general of the Business Registration Bureau of the SAMR

Mr. Xu Lefu, director general of the Antitrust Enforcement Department II of the SAMR

Mr. Liu Sanjiang, director general of the Quality Development Bureau of the SAMR

Chairperson:

Ms. Xing Huina, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

Jan. 31, 2024

Xing Huina:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, we have invited Mr. Pu Chun, vice minister of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and administrator of the National Certification and Accreditation Administration, who will brief you on stimulating the vitality of business entities to promote high-quality economic development. We are also joined by Mr. Ren Duanping, director general of the Business Registration Bureau of the SAMR; Mr. Xu Lefu, director general of the Antitrust Enforcement Department II of the SAMR; and Mr. Liu Sanjiang, director general of the Quality Development Bureau of the SAMR.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Pu for a brief introduction.

Pu Chun:

Good morning. Thank you for your long-term interest in and support for the efforts concerning market regulation. It is my pleasure to speak with you on the topic of stimulating the vitality of business entities to promote high-quality economic development, and to take your questions. I will now start with a brief introduction.

The Central Economic Work Conference has underscored the need to fully stimulate the endogenous power and innovation vitality of various business entities. Through our market regulation practices over the years, we have recognized the role of business entities as major participants in economic activities, key suppliers of job opportunities and main drivers of technological advancement. Effectively stimulating the vitality of business entities and fully unleashing their endogenous power is of great significance to consolidating and strengthening the momentum of economic recovery and fostering high-quality economic development. Responsible for market regulation and law enforcement, the market regulator is the guardian of business entities' lawful rights and interests and the driver of economic growth. It is our responsibility to provide sound services and help business entities address difficulties and problems occurring during production and business operation. We will earnestly carry out the guiding principles of the Central Economic Work Conference, innovate regulatory methods and improve regulatory effectiveness, with a focus on the following aspects:

First, we will carry out further reform work and advance innovation. Reform and innovation are the sources of stimulating vitality. We will continue improving the rules on market access as well as the exit mechanism for business entities, in a bid to provide them with greater convenience. By comprehensively adopting credit rating-based regulatory measures and those assisted by smart technologies, we will work to improve the effectiveness of ongoing and ex post regulatory efforts and create a sound regulatory environment featuring less disruption and timely response. In the meantime, we will optimize the evaluation methods for business entities, and attach greater importance to the comprehensive and multi-dimensional evaluation system involving business size and structure, the levels of staying active, law compliance, innovation and competitiveness, economic returns and corporate social responsibility. We will provide guidance to localities and government departments on paying more attention to the development quality of business entities, in a bid to effectively achieve higher-quality growth based on a reasonable increase in their total number.

Second, we will work to promote fair competition. An inclusive and fair market environment is a crucial prerequisite for stimulating market vitality. We will speed up the development of a unified national market, taking stronger action against administrative monopolies and local protectionism. We will also work to remove policy measures that impede the functioning of a unified market and fair competition, and safeguard business entities' right to independent management. Moreover, we will investigate and deal with monopolistic cases as well as those concerning unfair competition in accordance with the law. In addition to leveraging the strength of large enterprises' size and helping to improve core competitiveness, we will also safeguard the development and innovation vitality of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. We will strive to develop and carry forward the culture of fair competition, and work to create a social environment that acknowledges and practices fair competition.

Third, we will work to ensure that the law is enforced in a strict, procedure-based, impartial and non-abusive way. The rule of law secures the best business environment, and provides fundamental support for stimulating market vitality and ensuring orderly operation. We will perform our duties in strict accordance with the law, bring all administrative activities into line with the rule of law, and create a more stable, transparent, procedure-based and predictable environment for business entities to develop. We will also expedite efforts to improve the system of baselines for administrative discretionary powers regarding market regulation, and establish and implement the case guidance system, so as to avoid excessive punishments for minor misconducts and differentiated punishments for similar cases. We will make better use of measures such as admonition and administrative guidance, patiently communicate and explain our regulatory measures, and proactively seek understanding and support, in a bid to demonstrate a human touch in law enforcement.

Fourth, we will work to improve assistance measures. Well-conceived and targeted favorable policies for enterprises are an effective method for stimulating vitality. We will further improve our regular communication mechanism with business entities, understand their demands and suggestions in a timely manner, and help resolve prominent issues facing them. Based on our duties in market regulation, we will formulate more practical, heart-warming and higher-quality policy measures in terms of developing incentives for good-faith actors, providing assistance in quality-related issues and technological aspects, and supporting self-employed individuals. We will redouble our efforts to end unjustified charges levied on businesses and help reduce their burden.

Fifth, we will make efforts to regulate market order. Taking action against violators is a strong protection of law-abiding behavior and a means to stimulate vitality. We will strictly deal with infringements of intellectual property, the production and sale of counterfeit goods, and other illegal activities that disrupt market order in accordance with law. Enhanced protection of trade secrets will be implemented to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of business entities. In the meantime, initiatives will be undertaken to expedite the improvement of compliance management systems in key areas, fostering an enhanced awareness of compliance and integrity among business entities, with the aim of achieving more regulated, sustainable and dynamic development.

That is all for my introduction. Thank you.

Xing Huina:

Thank you Mr. Pu for your introduction. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify your news outlet before asking your question.