ThePaper.cn:

We would like to know, what are China's considerations for attracting and utilizing foreign investment and for further implementing the strategy to upgrade the pilot free trade zones in 2026? Thank you.

Wang Ya:

I will take this question. Thank you. The year 2026 marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan. We will thoroughly implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and its subsequent plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, put into action the arrangements made by the Central Economic Work Conference, unswervingly expand high-standard opening up, and strive to foster new strengths for attracting foreign investment. We will deepen the reform of the institutions and mechanisms for promoting foreign investment, further enhance the "Invest in China" brand, and comprehensively implement the strategy for upgrading the pilot free trade zones, which all contributes to a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan. We will focus on the work in four aspects.

First, we will expand market access and areas of openness with a focus on the service industry. We will expand the opening up of fields such as telecommunications, healthcare, and education in an orderly manner. We will promote the early implementation of pilot projects, support the foreign-funded service enterprises to extend the value chain, and achieve specialized, integrated, and digital-intelligent development. This will enhance the capacity and quality improvement of the service industry. In the already opened fields, we will ensure foreign investment enjoys both market access and unimpeded operation.

Second, we will optimize policies that support foreign investment. We will effectively implement policy measures such as tax credits for overseas investors who directly reinvest profits earned in China, and the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment. Foreign-funded enterprises will be equally supported to participate in activities aimed at boosting consumption, government procurement, and bidding and tendering process. This will help foreign-funded enterprises to engage in long-term development in China.

Third, we will improve the service guarantee system for foreign investment. We will fully implement national treatment for foreign-funded enterprises, focus on their concerns, and consistently enhance our services. We will organize roundtable meetings for foreign-funded enterprises and continue to advance the initiative to ensure services for foreign-funded enterprises, transforming the "demand lists" of enterprises into our "service lists", so as to help them address challenges and difficulties.

Fourth, we will create a diverse array of pacesetters for opening up. This involves steadily optimizing and adjusting the regional layout and scope of the pilot free trade zones to provide broader space and more platforms for pioneering trials, and deepening alignment with international high-standard economic and trade rules to conduct trials in institutional opening up in broader areas, at deeper levels and with greater intensity. Support will be given to pilot free trade zones to promote integrated innovation across entire industrial chains in key areas of emerging industries based on local conditions. Furthermore, we will accelerate the comprehensive pilot demonstration for expanding opening up in the service industry, effectively implement the work plans for high-quality development of national-level economic and technological development zones, and continuously release the benefits of institutional innovation. Thank you.